Armageddon
by AyJay
Summary: The portents are bad. Hurricane, flood, war...and the demons are rising with increasing momentum. Something is coming. Something BIG. And Dean & Sam are on a collision course with an enemy even they couldn't foresee. Third in the 'Battle Weary' series
1. In the Beginning

(Disclaimer: Don't own anything Supernatural related, the following story is mine)

**Armageddon.**

**Chapter One.**

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_Revelation 12:9: "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and  
Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast  
out with him."_

He sat on his 'throne', his arms leaning casually against the bones that made up his chair. The bones of the damned that were now blackened with age, the heads of his three most illustrious conquests perched on the back, sitting high, for all to see. '_Charoum'…'Haamiah'…'Remliel'_…their glory now gone, bought down from their exalted positions to now watch eternally over his plans, his deeds, his evil…his _home_. Desecrated as _they_ should _never _be.

He raised a hand, beckoning the guards to bring his latest triumph forward. He smiled as the chains that bound his latest prize dragged heavily along the blood-soaked floor, the chains forged specifically for _their _kind. Forged deep within the pits, in fires that were fed by the most unholy of holy…the _fallen ones._

Forced to his knees, the prisoner refused to lower his gaze, refused to bow his head to his enemy, refusing to allow him the slightest satisfaction of the kill. He'd seen the heads of his brothers sitting high upon the defilement he called a 'throne'. He would be joining them soon, there was no doubt. He raised his face to the heavens in prayer, not begging for mercy, not asking to be saved, but pleading for forgiveness for his sins, for the sins that would now befall mankind once he was destroyed.

"Look at me, Tabbris" he paused "No?" he laughed "It doesn't matter. Once you join your _'brothers' _, you will _see_ what your death has wrought! It has already begun…_you_ see that…you _all _see that!" He circled his captive, his laugh chilling all those who heard it "I chose you for a reason, Trabbris…like I chose Haamiah, Remliel and Charoum" he laughed again "I will _have _my soldiers, Tabbris…one's that _HE_ uses against us" he raised his sword, the black blade pulsing with a life of it's own _"MY_ time draws near!" and he swung the sword in an arc, the scream of the blade like a trumpet on the winds, as the prayers died on the lips of another fallen.

He reached down, picking the head up and holding it high, a triumphant scream reverberating through the chambers as he revelled in his kill. He, the Father of Darknes, the Bringer of Chaos…the Slayer of Angels.

---------------------------

Dean sat on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands as he tried to will the headache away. The headache he always got when he was in _'that place'_, as Sammy liked to call it. He looked down at himself, his clothes were covered in the blood of his latest kill. He looked up at Sam, hardly a drop on him; he raised his gaze further and glanced into his brothers eyes before looking away quickly. He didn't need that right now. He got up slowly and headed to the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind him.

He turned the water to hot and stripped, getting under the steaming jets and turning his face up to it. The scalding water seeming to burn some of the headache away, not all of it…it _never _did. The headache would persist for a couple of hours at least. He wasn't so much getting used to it but more understanding the pattern. A pattern of headaches that had been increasing these last six months or so. He knew Sam was worried, he saw it in his eyes every time they walked away from one of _those _kills. He needed to figure this out but they'd just been too damn busy of late. He picked up the soap and cleaned himself vigorously, getting the last traces of _them_ off him before turning the water to cold, the shock of it waking him up.

He stepped out of the shower, dried himself and looked at his neck in the mirror, almost healed. His eyes flicked to his necklace and his mind drifted…he shook his head, he couldn't dwell there, it had been too long ago and the memories of that month together…no, he needed to focus. He rested his head against the mirror as his mind refused to listen to him, her face rising like a phoenix from the flames of his mind, refusing to allow him to forget.

----------------------------

Sam changed, he knew what was coming now. Dean would come out, all refreshed and drag him to some shitty bar and they'd drink til all hours of the morning as he tried to forget about the kill. Dean was spiralling out of control again…and he was getting headaches now as well. He thought Sam didn't know about them but he was more attuned to his brother than ever. The events of the last two years bringing with it an understanding that he couldn't explain. They'd been through more in the last two years than their whole life put together…surviving all that they had bought with it an unbreakable bond but it was one that was fraught with danger. The danger of Dean's uncontrollable rage, the way he seemed to embrace it sometimes…using it not as an advantage but as a punishment.

He sat on the bed and picked up his phone, scrolling through til he found the number the needed. His thumb hovered over the 'dial' button for a long time before he sighed, closed his phone and waited for Dean to emerge from his awakening.

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Sam had been right of course. They'd been sitting in a shitty bar, not far from their latest shitty motel for an hour, steadily drinking shitty beer while Dean said nothing.

Sam sighed "You could just ring her you know"

Dean looked away from his brother, scanning the bar "Ring who?"

Sam laughed softly "Yeah, okay. Whatever you say, dude. You manage to get any info from that …last one?"

Dean shook his head "No…but…" he shook his head again "It's nothing"

"What?"

Dean just shook his head "Nothin'"

"_Tell _me, Dean. We're getting closer to that yellow-eyed asshole…I can feel it and I know you can too"

Dean stared into his beer for a long time before whispering "He laughed at me, Sammy. Said it was all going to plan…this was what they'd expected and we'd know soon enough what was happening…_all _of us would" he shrugged and sculled the rest of his beer, not wanting to tell Sam how the demon had asked about his headaches "So I cut the fuckers head off. You want another?" he didn't wait for an answer before heading to the bar.

Sam stared after Dean's retreating figure, he didn't like the sound of that, didn't like the sound of it at all. He'd noticed the sharp rise in demonic activity in the last six months or so and the few conversations he'd had with Zeke, had confirmed they'd been just as busy as he and Dean. Something was happening…something was coming and he had a feeling that all hunters were being kept busy for a reason. Whatever was happening was diversionary. What was coming was BIG.

Sam watched his brother chatting up one of the waitresses and sighed. Dean was on the fast track to self-destruction, there was not putting it off. He picked up his phone and made the call he'd almost made earlier. Voicemail. He left a short message and hung up, hoping he'd hear back soon.

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She felt the rush of air that followed the swing of the blade as she ducked, turning and striking, not going for the kill, she needed him incapacitated, not dead. He swung again, catching her shoulder and she roared in rage and struck back furiously, driving him to his knees, stopping her blade inches from his neck before kicking him onto his back and driving one of her swords into_ his_ shoulder, pinning him to the floor.

She turned and went to the stricken man, lifting his head into her lap, reassuring him that everything was going to be okay. That he was going to be fine, she'd get help and he'd be back drinking with them and kicking arse as he always did. He smiled at her then coughed, the blood flying from his lips and spattering her face. He whispered something and she leaned down to hear it…but the whisper died on his lips. She lay him down gently, rising from the floor, trying to contain her fury. She took the chalk from her pocket and drew the symbol she needed.

She leaned down, her face inches from the demons "I'm taking my time, arsehole"

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Dean stood under the shower, his head hung as he thought back on last night's kill again, hoping to get some fresh insight. He'd been in _'that' _place again. That place where he could see nothing but the rage, hear nothing but the screams of fury, _his _screams that echoed through his mind as the memories of the last two years surfaced and refused to be pushed away until he dealt with them. And he dealt with them the only way he knew how. He killed. Demon after demon suffered under his blades, under his wrath and still he wasn't sated, still the memories came back…each time with more vengeance, each time crashing back into his mind, making him relive it. And brining with it the headaches.

He turned the water off when it ran cold, stepped out and dried himself. He checked his neck in the mirror, the scar was gone. His mind started to drift again and he bought it back to the present…he needed to concentrate. And his concentration had been slipping _a lot _of late…this last week especially. Slipping to a place he _wanted _to be but knew he couldn't. He put his fingers to the necklace, the one she'dgiven to him the last time he'd seen her, the last time he'd spoken to her, the last time he'd kissed her. Shit. He was doing it again. He turned when the bathroom door opened behind him and he grinned automatically as he groaned inwardly.

"Aaah, someone called Jay just rang for you…said she'd call back"

"You answered my phone?" he asked angrily.

He looked past her as he heard a loud pounding on the door and Sam calling his name. He pushed past the waitress, stormed to the door and flung it open "What Sam!"

"Zeke just called…Jay's missing"

_**To be continued…**_


	2. Storm's Coming

(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Two.**

_He stood in his true form, the form __**he **__called 'glorious', the form for which he'd been cast from the heavens, the form that had set him free. He moved around the darkened chamber, his muscular legs rippling with each step, his cloven-clawed feet scraping along the black-stoned floor as his powerful arms swung the head of Tabbris over the flame-filled pit. His eyes shone a ruby-red as his skull pulsed with each utterance of those ancient words; the guttural language borne from the depths of Hell itself. His razor-sharp talons tightened in the Angels hair as the ritual continued, his ecstasy clearly visible as the flames licked at the head of Tabbris. His grip intensified, the talons now puncturing his palm, his black blood running in rivulets down the face of the Angel, dripping into the pit and mixing with that of the holy one. It was __**that**__ combination of blood that would bring forth the start of the __**'Unmaking'**_

_He called forth the words that would cause the heavens to anger, to release their fury on mankind. The Angel charged with protecting those in the upper realm from floods and hurricane now destroyed, the mortals now without their guardian. The water and the winds now belonged to __**him**__ and he would use that to create chaos._

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The rain lashed the windows of the Impala, the wipers working double-time to try and stem the unrelenting maelstrom that poured from the heavens. Dean sat forward in his seat, leaning towards the windshield in an effort to see through the downpour, the Impala's headlights hardly making a dent in storm-darkened highway. He'd slowed the car right down, it had been aquaplaning dangerously as her tyres hit large patches of deep water. Both Dean and Sam jumped slightly as thunder boomed, rattling the Impala's windows and jagged lightening ripped through the sky, illuminating the road for a minute before their vision was again limited to a few feet in front of them.

"We have to pull over, Dean!" yelled Sam, trying to be heard over the constant drumming of the rain against the car.

Dean shook his head "It'll ease up soon, Sammy!" and he dared to push his foot down a little on the accelerator, the Impala aquaplaned and Dean tapped the brakes, slowing the car down. Thunder rumbled in the sky again and a tree exploded on their right as it was struck by lightening, the loud crack of it as it disintegrated heard clearly above the storm. Dean slammed on the brakes as the tree fell across their path, the Impala slewing to the left as it hit a patch of water. Dean turned into the spin, tapping lightly at the brakes, the car stopping inches from the fallen tree.

Sam looked over at Dean "Guess we're pulled over now!"

Dean put his arm across the back of the seat and reversed steadily before turning the car round and heading back towards the last turn-off they'd passed. The rain continued to drive relentlessly at them, coming in all directions, the thunder and lightening now a cacophony of anger. There was no other way to describe it. This was no ordinary storm…this was something more. There was a… _wickedness _about it, it was almost as if the storm had taken on a life of its own. Its sole purpose to destroy as much as it could…it was building in its fury and he and his brother were in the middle of it.

Dean continued to drive steadily forward, the storm building in its intensity around them, the thunder and lightening now a constant companion. A howling wind had now joined them and it screamed to be heard, whipping up debris; tree branches, leaves, rubbish…anything it could find.

"Dude! Seriously, we gotta find somewhere to stop!" yelled Sam.

Dean shook his head, his mind focussed on the road ahead, he leaned closer to the windshield and hit the brakes again, bringing the Impala to a stop. The bridge in front of them had been swept away by the raging torrent that Dean guessed was once a small river. There was no way across. He leaned over, reached into the glove-box and took out the map, scanning it carefully before selecting a new route. He turned the car around and headed for another road that he hoped was passable.

Conversation in the Impala was damn near impossible and Dean was glad of it. He didn't want to talk to Sam about anything, least of all Jay. His hand went instinctively to the necklace and he removed it quickly, not wanting his brother to notice. The few times Sam had spoken with Zeke over the last year, he'd tried to get Dean to speak with Jay but he'd always made some excuse not to. He knew Sam didn't understand that…but it was easier if he_ didn't_ speak with her, easier for _him._ And now the one time she _had _called, _had_ reached out to him, some woman he'd banged for no other reason than to try and forget about the night's kill, had answered his damn phone. He slammed his hand against the steering wheel; when he'd called her, he only got her voicemail, same as Sam and Zeke, and she hadn't called back like she said she would. He took his phone from his jacket and tried again but was unable to get a signal. Shit! The storm was interfering with it…he had to get to a land-line. He saw a gas station up ahead, they'd have a phone.

He parked the Impala next to the petrol pump, out of the storms barrage. He and Sam got out, the chill wind like a punch in the face as it hit them. They pulled their jackets round them as they looked up at the sky; the black clouds were tumbling in on each other, fighting for space in the heavens, the thunder their shouts of defiance as they refused to give up their position, the lightening like weapons, striking out at anything and everything.

Dean shivered involuntarily "Fill the car. I'll get supplies" and he headed to the relative safety of the gas station.

He pushed the door open and looked into the surprised face of the attendant "Phone?"

"Lines are down"

"Shit" he took out his cell phone and tried again. Still nothing. He grabbed some food and coffee for him and Sam and went to the counter.

"You fellas aren't _drivin' _in this are ya?" the man asked incredulously.

"Gotta get somewhere. How much?"

The man shook his head at Dean "There's _no_ getting' through, man. All the roads are either blocked or been washed away. You're stuck here an' if the radio reports are anything to go by, ain't nothin' gonna be cleared til tomorrow"

"Bullshit"

"Nope. We never seen nothin' like this. I mean, shit…most of our rivers are dry and then…bam! A mother-fucker of a storm hits outta _nowhere_ and we got flash-flooding, mud-slides, hail the size of goddamn baseballs" the man shook his head "lightening's taken out most of the power stations in the area…fuck man…this is the storm to end _all _storms. You best find a motel to hole up in. There's one about six miles down, it ain't the Ritz but it'll keep ya warm and dry"

"You sure there's no way through?" asked Dean

"Not a chance, man. I can't even get back home, be spendin' the night in this lovely place"

Dean nodded, paid the man and went to join Sam in the car. He got in, slammed the door shut and passed jis brother the bag "All the roads are either closed or washed out til morning"

"What a surprise" said Sam dryly. He looked over at Dean "I take the phones are out too then?"

"There's a motel about six miles down. We'll stay there and head out early" he started the engine and drove back into the tempest.

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Dean came out of the shower and threw some warm clothes on and went to stand at the window. The storm wasn't letting up in any way, shape or form, if anything, it was getting worse. He turned to Sam "Any luck contacting Zeke?"

Sam shook his head "I can barely get anything on the laptop either. I did find out that this storm came from _nowhere_. The meteorologists can't explain it, they'd predicted nothing but fine weather for the next week or so and then…" he shook his head "they said a storm-cell just appeared and hit with so much force…" he looked at his brother "the death-toll is already at thirty-six"

"Is it localised or are we looking at something wider?" he asked as he turned back to the storm.

"This one is localised but there are storms just like it popping up all over the place. Not just in the States…this is world-wide, dude"

"We need to get to Ellen's" said Dean as he picked up his phone from the table.

"I've tried them both, Dean. Can't get a signal and Zeke's probably stuck in the storm too. All we can do is wait and meet up with him tomorrow"

Dean rubbed at his temples, the headache was starting up again "I'll get us something to eat" and he grabbed his jacket, threw it on and walked out.

Sam stared at the door of the motel room, he knew Dean was worried, so was he. It wasn't like Jay to just up and leave…well maybe _that _part was just like her, but she wouldn't stay out of contact with Zeke, no way. What worried him most, what he _hadn't _told Dean was that Zeke had been unable to _'find'_ her. Said he'd reached out a heap of times but had got nothing. When Sam had asked if maybe the reason he hadn't been able to reach her was because she'd possibly been killed, Zeke paused and Sam knew he was calming himself. No, he'd told Sam, if Jay were dead, he'd be able to find her easily, this was something else.

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Jay paced the motel room, the wind whipping up a frenzy outside, the howling of it as it tore down the highway like that of a banshee. She shivered involuntarily as she went to the window, she didn't know what she expected to see, it was past midnight and the few street lights that littered the parking lot had been bought down by the last forceful gusts of wind.

She went to the tv and turned it on before going to sit in front of her laptop. She looked at the weather-reports for the area, bad and getting worse. She turned to the tv when she heard the reporters broadcast a hurricane warning for her area. Shit. She sighed, there wasn't anything she could do but sit it out.

She closed the laptop and went and showered, she was too wound up to sleep. She finally got out when the windows started to rattle and she could hear the howling winds above the sound of the shower. She dried herself and dressed quickly. She went back to the room, the tv held nothing but static now; she turned it off and shut her laptop, putting it in her duffel-bag with the rest of her gear so she was ready to move quickly if she had to. She turned off the light and went and lay down on the bed as she felt the beginnings of a headache, headaches that had been plaguing her these last six months or so. She closed her eyes but couldn't sleep. She sighed again and reached over, switched on the lamp and paused, she opened the top drawer and there it was, the staple of _every _motel room.

She picked up the Bible, she wasn't a religious person in any sense of the word but she knew the book back to front, the nuns at the orphanage where she and Zeke had grown up had made sure of that. Zeke, she guessed she should ring him and let him know she was alright…but…she didn't know why she felt compelled to see this through on her own. She knew he'd be worried, be pissed at her but after what the demon had said to her before she'd _'banished' _him, the further away from her he was, the better. She didn't know why she'd rung Dean, but he'd been on her mind a lot lately, more so this last week but she didn't like to dwell in that time, it made her feel vulnerable and she _hated _that...she missed him and she hated that even more. She turned her mind away from those thoughts and flicked to the 'Book of Revelations' and started to read.

She woke to the shuddering of the motel room, the walls vibrating, straining against the gale-force winds. She got quickly off the bed, the Bible falling to the ground as she went to the bathroom and braced herself in the doorframe. She put her head on her knees and laughed as the phrase _'put your head between your knees and kiss your arse goodbye' _went through her head. She ducked as the windows to the room exploded, spraying glass into the room, she could hear nothing but the screaming of the wind above her racing heart. She looked up as the roof to the motel room started to screech, the stress of trying to remain on its structure making it groan under the pressure. She held tight to the doorframe as the hurricane hit, her head bowed as debris flew into the room, smashing everything it came into contact with. Her thoughts went to her brother... and to Dean and Sam, the three people she cared most about and as the roof was torn from the motel room it didn't register to her that she was praying.

_**To be continued…**_


	3. Reunion

(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Three.**

Jay squinted as she opened her eyes, the sun high and bright in the sky as it beat down on her. She tried to sit up, but something heavy was pressed against her chest. She looked around and groaned at the destruction surrounding her. The motel had been completely and utterly destroyed… and she was lying under what was left of it. She moved her hands slowly up to her chest and pushed at what she guessed was the remains of a power pole. Lovely. She pushed and pushed but could only move it a little. She looked around and reached over, picking up a large house-brick. She wedged it under the pole, forcing it up just enough for her to wriggle out. She stood and took a proper look around as she brushed distractedly at her clothes. Jesus…everything around her had been _flattened._ Trees were strewn about like toothpicks, cars and trucks lay overturned and everywhere she looked was debris from houses, stores and the motel room; sheetrock, bricks, aluminium siding, tiles, furniture…and was that a swimming pool?

The surrounding landscape looked like it had been hit by a steam-roller that had gone berserk, she turned, stopped and stared in amazement. Directly opposite her stood a lone tree, completely unscathed, its branches swaying lightly in the breeze. It was a shocking reminder of what the place looked like before Hell had screamed through like a freight-train last night.

She looked down at herself, dirty, dishevelled and a blood-stain on the lower right-side of her t-shirt. She lifted the fabric and pulled out the piece of wood that was wedged between her ribs and threw it casually aside. She moved through the rubble, eventually finding her coat underneath a smashed tv set and started looking for her bag. She was lifting a piece of panelling when she saw a hand protruding from underneath it. She shoved the panelling aside and reached down, checking for a pulse, there was none. Shit. She didn't know how many people had been in the motel with her, but judging by the scale of destruction, she was sure she was going to be the only survivor.

She searched and found body after lifeless body before finally locating her duffel bag, squashed under the remains of what was once somebody's fridge. Her laptop was destroyed but her phone seemed to be working, miracle of miracles. She dumped the laptop, zipped up her bag and threw it over her shoulder. There was nothing else she could do except '_get the hell out of Dodge'_, the last thing she needed were questions as to why she was the sole survivor of a town that had literally been torn apart. A survivor that didn't have a mark on her.

She found Lucas' car overturned in a ditch across the road from the where the motel had once stood. She scrambled down the embankment, opening the trunk and removing the weapons she needed and putting them in another bag. She couldn't take everything but she couldn't leave the car to be found either. She slipped her t-shirt off, put on a clean one and went to the gas-tank. She stuffed the old t-shirt in, took the zippo from her jeans pocket and lit the material, running quickly back up the embankment with the bags.

She threw both bags over her shoulders and walked purposefully out of town. She didn't glance back as the explosion ripped through the air, there _was_ no looking back now. She put one foot in front of the other, her eyes downcast as she walked away from the wasteland; she shivered slightly as the wind picked up, ruffling the pages of a Bible that lay discarded in the dirt on the side of the road.

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Dean and Sam pulled up at The Roadhouse, eventually finding a place to park in the over-crowded lot out front. Dean killed the engine and both men got out, scanning the lot for any familiar cars, there were none.

"I don't think I've _ever _seen Ellen's this busy, dude" said Sam.

Dean just nodded and wound his way through the cars and trucks, heading towards the bar and hoping Zeke was already inside waiting for them.

He pushed the door open and threaded his way through the mass of tables that were filled with hunters. He noticed quite a few of them look up and watch him and Sam as they headed towards the bar, whispering quietly to one another. Dean leaned against the bar as Ellen walked over, grabbing a couple of Buds and putting them in front of him.

"Hey Ellen" said Sam.

"Boys. Didn't expect to see you for a while" she looked at them, taking in their appearance quickly. They'd changed, the two of them, it wasn't so much that they were older but there was something in their eyes that hadn't been there last time she'd seen them. But if the rumours flying around about the two of them had any basis of fact, then that would surely explain it. "Heard you boys took a trip"

Dean picked up the Buds and passed one to Sam "Come on, Sammy" and he walked towards the back of the bar, finding an empty table. He sat with his back to the wall, moving his chair slightly, giving himself a clear line of sight to the front door.

"He'll be here, Dean" said Sam as he sipped at his beer.

Dean nodded, took his phone from his pocket and tried Jay again. Voicemail. He shut the phone and put it in his pocket, not leaving a message. They watched the other hunters around them, all of them looked tired, and what little conversation could be heard above the jukebox hinted towards the increasing activity of the past six months.

Dean stood and headed towards the bathroom and Sam watched as most of the hunter's eyes followed the progress of his brother before returning to the cleaning and checking of their weapons, occasionally glancing at him as he drank and waited for Zeke.

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Zeke pulled up in front of the bar that Sam had sent him the co-ordinates to. He'd heard of The Roadhouse but had never been to the place. He drove round til finally finding a park out back and walked towards the building, pushing the door open and heading to the main bar. He was surprised at what he saw, he'd never seen so many hunters congregated in one place. This wasn't good. He leaned against the bar and watched as an older woman walked towards him.

"What can I get you?" she asked.

"Beer, thanks" he smiled "Bud'll be fine" she nodded and bought one back for him. He threw cash on the bar "I'm looking for some friends of mine" he leaned over and whispered "Sam and Dean Winchester"

"Those boys don't have friends" she said, instantly wary of the tall, heavily scarred man with the Australian accent.

He smiled at her "I'm an anomaly. They asked me to meet them here" he sipped at his beer and scanned the bar. He smiled when he saw Sam heading over.

Ellen watched as the two men embraced warmly. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she'd never have believed it.

"Zeke. Good to see you again" Sam turned to Ellen "Two more Buds, thank Ellen" she grabbed them and bought them back "Thanks" he turned to Zeke "Come on, Dean's in back being his normal chatty self"

Zeke laughed "Nothing's changed I see" and he followed Sam through the bar, noticing how they were watched the whole way, and not liking it one bit.

Dean watched as Sam and Zeke headed towards him. He hadn't seen Zeke in over a year and the man had changed dramatically. He'd put on all the weight he'd lost while he'd been in Hell, and the whole lot of it was muscle. The man was _huge_. He'd cut his black hair short, but the curls were still there…as were all the scars. A lot of them had faded to a silvery white but they would never fade completely. His eyes were still the same piercing green as Jay's and even though they twinkled when he saw Dean, they were still tinged with worry.

He got to the table and put his hand out "Dean…" he grinned "You look like shit, mate"

Dean couldn't help himself, he laughed as he shook Zeke's hand "Backatchya, dude" he looked him up and down "You're looking a little small…you need to eat something"

He laughed as he sat, resting a foot against the chair opposite his "Yeah, only had half a cow on my way over" he looked around "Place is more crowded than I expected"

"Us too. Never seen it this busy" said Sam.

"So, what the hell happened?" asked Dean.

Zeke sipped at his beer and leaned forward in his seat, resting his elbows on the table "I was out on a hunt, left Jay in the motel researching some shit. When I got back the next morning she'd left a note saying a friend of mine had stopped by and she'd gone with him to help…'fix' …something, be back in a couple of days. I wasn't worried, we'd been working with him on and off this past year, so…" he shrugged "When I hadn't heard from her for three days, I rang, got nothing but voicemail. Same with Lucas. Still wasn't worried…they'd gone off on…'fixings' ...together a couple of times, sometimes they take longer, you know how it is. But when I still hadn't heard by the following day and could get nothing but voicemail from either of them, I went searching. I didn't know exactly where they'd gone but she said it wasn't far" he shook his head "Couldn't find a trace of them anywhere"

"What do you mean, you couldn't find them?" asked Dean "What about that whole _mind_ thing you got going on?"

Zeke glanced quickly at Sam, obviously he hadn't told Dean "I can't find her. I reach out and get nothing…"

"You _lost _her?" Dean asked incredulously.

"I didn't fucking _lose _her…she's out there somewhere…I just can't …_find_ her, can't _reach_ her and I _should _be able to reach her and before you freak out, she's not dead, I'd know it if she was"

"What about the Lucas guy? Can you find him?" asked Sam.

He shook his head "Which is odd too but if he and Jay are together then…shit…I just don't know. But she's been out of contact for ten days and that's just not _like _her" he took a long swig of his beer.

"She hasn't exactly been out of contact, Zeke" said Sam "She rang Dean yesterday"

He put his beer down "And you were going to tell me this _when?"_

"I didn't actually speak to her…" started Dean.

"She left a message on your voicemail then? What did she say?"

"No, she…ahh…"

"She spoke to a chick Dean picked up at a bar…" Sam turned to Dean "Ow! Don't kick me" he turned back to Zeke "All she said was that she'd ring back. She hasn't and all we get is voicemail as well"

"Fucking hell…" he finished the rest of his beer in three gulps, got up and went to the bar.

Dean turned to Sam "You couldn't keep that piece of information to yourself, Sam?"

Sam laughed "Lighten up, dude. It's been a year, I'm sure she knows you haven't been celibate" he grinned "And I'm sure she hasn't been either"

"Yeah, thanks for that" he finished his beer as Zeke came back with three more Buds and sat down.

"What was she researching?" asked Sam.

"Nothing to do with what I was working on" he shrugged "She's been getting headaches, started about six months ago…and why are you looking at me like that?" he asked Sam.

"Six months ago? You sure?" asked Sam.

Zeke nodded "Why?"

"Dean's been having headaches about that long as well" he turned to the surprised look on his brother's face "What? Like you didn't think I'd notice? You've been popping aspirin like they're M&M's, dude"

"Sam, you don't know what…" he stopped when a shadow fell over the table.

They looked up into the grinning face of Ash "Heard you boys were here, couldn't believe it, so I came out to…" he looked at Zeke "Fuck me, dude…I'm just gonna make slow movements okay? Please don't make me your next snack"

Zeke laughed "Don't worry, mate. Your scrawny arse'd only get stuck between my teeth"

He cocked his head "How 'bout that? Two Australian's in one week. What're…" he looked at Zeke as the man stood "Please don't eat me, dude"

Sam pulled on Zeke's jacket, forcing him to sit down "What're you talking about Ash?"

Ash took a step away from Zeke and watched him warily "Aaah, had an Australian chick in here about four days ago…"

Dean took his wallet out and pulled out the photo of him, Sam, Jay and Zeke at George's place "Is this her?"

Ash went to take the photo but Dean wouldn't relinquish his hold on it "Yeah, that's her. Smart. Bit of a pain in the ass, but she had a nice one so I let it go" he grinned.

"Ash, this is her brother Zeke" said Sam with a smile.

"Oh, yeah…kinda see the resemblance now. She didn't mention you though"

"She by herself?" asked Zeke.

"Not sure, didn't see her with anyone though"

"Tall guy, about 6ft4, dark brown, longish hair, blue eyes, scar down the left side of his face"

Ash shook his head "Didn't see anyone like that here"

"You spoke to her, Ash?" asked Dean as he put the photo back in his wallet.

"Yeah, helped her out with somethin', why?" he looked at them and sighed "Come on, then" they got up and followed Ash to his room.

-----------------

They walked into a back room filled with all sorts of computer and electrical equipment. It was everywhere, crammed onto the small desk, sitting on shelves and the floor and being used as a side-table next to the bed, Their were books and folders, notebooks and pieces of paper strewn all over the place and if you didn't know Ash, you'd think the place had been hit by a bomb, but this was organised chaos.

Ash went and sat in the chair at the desk and started tapping away at the keys "Okay, so she was interested in weather patterns. Storms, hurricanes that kinda thing. Told her that wasn't exactly what I did…dealt with the big nasties, wasn't really a weatherman. But she said she had an idea that it was all kinda linked in, wouldn't really go into it any more than that. I thought she was mad but…she drove me crazy so I checked it out to make her stop talking"

Sam laughed "Yeah, that's her alright" Dean and Zeke looked at him "Tell me I'm wrong"

"So I was here, tapping away at what I thought would be a complete waste of time but…look…" he turned the screen towards them "this has been the last couple of days…watch"

Dean, Sam and Zeke looked at the screen, it showed a map of the States and they watched as storm cells seemed to pop up out of nowhere and disappear just as suddenly.

"Now that looks a little strange right? But watch this…if I add in tornado touch-downs and leave the storm cells in…" he tapped at the keys and they watched as a pattern emerged in front of their eyes.

"Fuck me…" they said in unison. The storm cells and tornado hits formed the number '40'.

"Yep, that was pretty much my reaction as well. Been keeping an eye on it ever since she left" he tapped at the keys again "And found this interesting piece of info as well…every town that's been hit has had forty recorded deaths…well all but one, that one had 39"

"Where?" the three of them asked urgently.

Ash turned and stared at them "You three should join the circus" he turned back to the screen "Aaah…a small town called St John, in Kansas. Hit by an F5 tornado two days ago, flattened the place"

"Thanks, Ash. She say anything to you about where she was going? What she'd been up to? Anything?" asked Sam.

He shook his head "Nope. Just talked about the weather, she was pretty tight-lipped" he looked at Sam and Dean "Been hearing rumours you two took a trip to Hell…went lookin' for someone"

"Don't believe everything you hear, Ash" said Dean.

"Yeah? Cause it's coming from some…interesting sources"

"Thanks for the info, Ash. Might be best to keep this to yourself though but if you could keep an eye on it for us, we'll be in touch" and Sam patted him on the shoulder.

They turned and headed to the door and Zeke turned back to Ash "She looked alright? Jay, I mean"

Ash was about to make a smart-ass remark but he saw the worry in the man's eyes and then looked at the size of him again "Yeah, dude. She seemed fine, worried but fine"

Zeke nodded and followed Sam and Dean out. They walked back through the bar, Zeke telling them he'd bring the car round and meet them out front. Sam and Dean said their goodbyes to Ellen and walked out to the stares of the other hunters in the place.

They were leaning against the Impala when Zeke bought Jay's car round and Dean couldn't help but smile when he saw it. The '62 Chevy Bel Air Coupe was beautiful and a dream to drive. Jay _loved _the car. Zeke pulled up next to them and got out.

"So it has to be her right?" asked Sam "She was supposed to be number 40 but with the self-healing…"

"Has to be" said Zeke "If every other place had forty victims…"

Dean looked at his watch "Alright, lets get moving, we should be able to make it to the town by sometime late tomorrow. Follow us, Zeke…we know Kansas well" he nodded and went back to his car as Dean and Sam got into the Impala.

They sped away from The Roadhouse, Zeke following closely behind as they headed to Kansas and hopefully to find clues as to where Jay was going and what she was doing.

Dean looked over at Sam "The headaches…if Jay's getting them too…"

Sam looked away from Dean and out the side window "Not sure, dude" he didn't mention that he'd seen more than half of the hunters in Ellen's downing aspirin like it was candy.

_**To be continued…**_


	4. A Darkness Within

(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Four.**

Dean, Sam and Zeke drove slowly into St John, Kansas…or rather what was left of it, which was pretty much nothing. The tornado had hit three days ago and it looked like a skeleton crew had been sent in to try and clear the place. There were maybe twenty people about, clearing rubble and moving cars…but even they looked disheartened by the devastation that had hit the small town.

Dean found an almost cleared section of grass and pulled the Impala to a stop, Zeke pulling up next to them. The three men got out of their cars and looked around, nothing had escaped the wrath of the tornado…well, one tree had and all that did was drive home how powerful this storm had been.

Sam looked over at Zeke "You getting anything?"

"Not sure" and he started walking towards the middle of the town.

Dean reached back into the car and rifled through the fake i.d.'s, grabbed three, tossed one to Sam and followed Zeke.

"This…Jesus, Dean…" said Sam as he looked around. If Jay had been here when the tornado had hit, he shook his head.

They caught up with Zeke and Dean passed him an i.d., he put it in his jacket distractedly as he turned in slow circles, his eyes moving over everything.

"If she was here, she'd have been in a motel" said Sam, he looked around and spotted what looked like a parking lot and headed towards the enormous pile of rubble. He started to climb over it, not knowing exactly what he was looking for or if he was going to find anything either but they had to start somewhere.

He'd been walking around for about ten minutes when he came across a broken laptop stuck underneath some gyprock. He crouched down, pulled it free, opened it and laughed. It was Jay's.

He looked up and saw Dean and Zeke scanning the rubble "Hey!" they looked over and he held up the laptop. He watched as they scrambled over the debris towards him, and he laughed as Dean lost his footing and fell on his ass.

Zeke reached him first "It's hers" and he took it from Sam and smiled "She likes to draw"

Sam laughed "She's a pervert" there were doodles of demons in _'compromising'_ positions drawn all over the inside of the laptop.

Dean finally reached them, cursing under his breath as he rubbed at his ass "That hers?"

Zeke smiled "What d'ya think?" and he turned the laptop towards Dean.

Dean stared, then laughed out loud. He pointed to one of the drawings "That's 'Kasdeya', the General I told you about…" he laughed again "'Looks like Cerberus' doesn't have _any _standards"

"HEY!" the three of them turned and saw a cop walking rather unsteadily towards them over the rubble. He was young…and short. When he finally got to them, he put his hands on his hips and puffed his chest out but before he could say anything, Dean had pulled his i.d. from his pocket.

"CDC" he flicked the i.d. shut "What can you tell us about where the victims were found?"

The cop studied the three men in front of him, they didn't _look_ like they were from the Centre for Disease Control, they were scruffy and dishevelled and looked like they hadn't slept in days…but then with all that had been going on lately, why wouldn't they be? "Aaah, most of the bodies were found within this block. Twenty-three were found here…this was the motel for the town" he shook his head "the bodies…smashed…" he looked at the men "there's no other word for it"

"There were no survivors?" asked Zeke.

The cop stared at him incredulously "Look around you. How could _anyone _have survived this? Besides, we had cadaver dogs bought in…" he paused.

"What?" asked Sam.

He shook his head "One of the dogs…he kept digging at one area but we've cleared it and dug around, found nothing but the handler said the dog was alerting to it" he shrugged "there was no body, the dog must've been confused"

They nodded dutifully "Thanks for your time" said Sam and they turned their backs on him and walked away, leaving him to watch after them even more confused than he already was.

They got to the main road and were heading towards their cars when Zeke stopped "I think that's Lucas' car" they followed his gaze to a burnt-out shell that was being towed out of a ditch on the other side of the road.

They walked over and watched as it was hauled out, landing with a crash on the bitumen. Zeke went to the rear of the car and checked the plates, he looked at the brothers and nodded. Sam went to the tow-truck driver and spoke to him briefly.

"You sure, Zeke?" asked Dean.

He nodded "Positive" he opened the trunk and scanned it "They've taken weapons…but not all of them..."

"The car was torched, dude" said Dean and he pointed to the flash marks around the gas-tank.

"She's by herself. If Lucas was with her, they'd have taken _all _the weapons and he _wouldn't _have torched the car, he loves it" he knelt down and removed the plates at the back and then went and removed the ones at the front.

Sam came back shaking his head "You're not going to believe this" they looked at him "Seems the tow-truck driver gave a lift to a woman yesterday…an _Australian_ woman, said she was back-packing through the area and wanted to get as far away from here as possible. He dropped her at a town about two hours south of here"

"I'll follow you" said Zeke as he headed towards his car.

------------------

Dean drove in silence, he'd turned Zeppelin up loud enough to let Sam know he didn't want to talk about _anything_. When they'd first pulled into the town he'd been shocked by what he'd seen. St John's had literally been wiped off the map. There was _nothing _left. When he'd been walking around and looking at the remains of the motel, the absolute destruction of it and gaining a greater understanding of the force of the tornado, his mind had switched from hoping to find some trace of her here to _not _wanting to. When Sam had held up the laptop he hadn't known what to think. That they'd found some trace of her was good…that she'd been in the middle of the tornado when it had hit, he didn't want to think about that; about what that must have been like for her, those last moments. He shook his head, they all knew the storm had killed her, the dog _hadn't_ been confused and all that did was darken his already dark mood.

They'd been driving for just over an hour as the sun set over the horizon. Sam kept glancing over at his brother, conversation was pointless, he knew that look on Dean's face and there was no way he was going to be talking about _anything._ He turned his thoughts to the headaches, the ones Dean was having; headaches that were increasing in frequency. And Jay's seemed to have started around the same time Dean's had…and he couldn't shake the image of all those hunters popping pills either. This was something that needed looking into and soon.

He was roused from his thoughts when he felt the Impala slow down and pull to the side of the road. He looked around, they were in the middle of nowhere. He turned as Dean shut the engine off and got out of the car. Sam followed him and found him at the trunk of the car and he groaned inwardly when he saw Dean remove his swords.

"Where?" asked Sam.

"Farmhouse about mile that way" and he pointed into a darkened field.

Zeke joined them "We don't have time for this, Dean"

Dean slammed the trunk shut "Then take Sam with you and I'll met you at the town when I'm done" and he walked down the small embankment, jumped over the fence and headed into the darkness.

"Shit" said Sam. He opened the trunk, grabbed his sword and followed his brother.

"Fuck" and Zeke jogged back to his car, grabbed his sword and cursed loudly again as he reluctantly followed Sam and Dean.

-----------------

Dean, Sam and Zeke crept towards the abandoned farmhouse, well abandoned really wasn't the right word, they _knew_ what lay inside and as much as this was a distraction, it was time to go to work. They sidled up the left-side of the farmhouse and Dean turned and smiled at Sam and Zeke. Sam knew that smile and he didn't like it. He knew what was coming and it was going to be a bloodbath. Dean was in _'that place'_ again and Sam's heart started to race. This was gonna be bad. He felt Zeke tap him on the shoulder and look at him questioningly but Sam just shook his head subtley, Zeke was about to see what that smile meant.

"Okay, so there's eight of them in there…" he whispered.

"Yeah, Dean but you know we…."

"Under control, Sammy. Under control" said Dean as he turned back towards the farmhouse.

But it _wasn't_ under control and neither was Dean. _Shit, here we go again_, thought Sam.

They followed Dean to the back of the farmhouse, keeping low as they heard the faint murmurings coming from inside. He saw Dean cock his head then turn back to them with a smile…

"Three in the kitchen, two in a room off the kitchen, another two in the front room and the last one's asleep in a room on the left"

Sam was still amazed at how Dean did that. Since discovering he could _'sense'_ them, Dean's ability had intensified, or rather his ability to _harness_ it had. And after their trip into Hell, it had gone into over-drive. Hence the scary grin.

"I'll take the first three, Sam you get the two off the kitchen, Zeke, front room…" he grinned again "you leave the _asshole_ that's asleep to me" whispered Dean.

"To talk to right, Dean? See if we can actually get some answers this time" whispered Sam in return.

Dean just grinned, moved quickly and quietly to the back door, stood, unsheathed his swords and kicked the door open…

"Evenin' boys!" he swung his swords with a grin "Like you to meet my girls" he walked slowly into the room, giving them time to arm themselves.

"FOR FUCK'S SAKE, DEAN!" yelled Sam "DON'T FREAKIN' WELL PLAY WITH THEM!"

Dean just laughed as he advanced on his prey, he circled, giving Sam and Zeke a clear run to the other rooms.

They took it. Sam ran quickly to the other room, knowing he'd have to get back to Dean as soon as possible. He burst through the door, Dean had been right of course, two of them were waiting. He hacked into them with a fury and they fought furiously back but the room was small, making the fight more difficult. It took longer than Sam wanted and he received a slice to his side before the demons lay headless at his feet. He turned and ran back to his brother.

He skidded to a stop when he saw the carnage in the kitchen. The demons all lay dead, their arms, legs and heads severed. The room was covered in blood and gore. Dean had taken his time.

"SAM!" he heard Zeke yell.

Shit. He ran to the other room as he heard a scream of pure terror reverberate through the farmhouse.

"NO, DEAN! WE NEED TO SPEAK TO HIM!" yelled Sam as he ran into the room, stopping the arc of his brother's sword "NO, DEAN!"

Those words stopped Dean. The words and the hand on his arm bought _that _night crashing back. He closed his eyes, forcing the memory back.

"No, Dean. We _need_ answers, okay?" said Sam softly. Dean nodded then smiled slowly and Sam watched as his brother went to the man strapped into the chair. At least Dean had had the foresight to do that first. Sam leaned back against the wall, ignoring the questioning look on Zeke's face.

"I want to know _what_ you assholes are planning. I want to know _when _you're doing it and I want to know _why us_" said Dean. He said it softly, like a whisper of seduction and Sam saw the fear rise in the demons eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"DON'T FUCKING LIE!" roared Dean, the change in tone was so shockingly abrupt that it almost didn't register to the demon that Dean had driven one of his swords into the it's stomach.

"DEAN!" yelled Sam and his brother turned, Sam finally noticing the blood on his neck "Jesus….Dean…"

Dean ignored him and returned his attention to the demon "Tell me what you know and I'll kill you quickly" he smiled nastily "But please, do me a favour and take your time"

The demon tried to stifle a groan as he looked between the three hunters; he knew who they were, _everyone _knew who they were. One was the man that had been freed from Hell, the other two were the ones that had done it. He looked around for the woman, if she were here, it was all over for him.

"TELL ME!" yelled Dean, his face inches from the demons.

"I don't know _anything, _I SWEAR!" he said.

Dean grinned "Right answer" and he re-sheathed his swords and removed his dagger.

Sam and Zeke walked out.

------------

Sam was leaning against an old truck, Zeke crouched on the ground not far from him, both of them trying to ignore the screams that were coming from the farmhouse.

Zeke looked up at Sam "So, how often does this happen?"

Sam shrugged "More often than I'd like ….and it's getting worse"

"Do you know what he meant by _'why us'_?"

Sam shook his head "But that's the second cut to his neck he's had this week. He was like …_that …_ the day before you rang. He'd found another lot and was..." he shook his head again "Said the demon had laughed at him, told him everything was going to plan"

"To plan?" Sam shrugged "If they're aiming for your necks Sam, they know how to kill you"

Sam nodded "Figured" he sighed "We're going out drinking tonight"

Zeke looked up at him, surprised "We are?"

"We are" said Dean. And Sam and Zeke looked over at the grinning, blood-spattered man "Asshole didn't know anything" and he walked passed them, absentmindedly rubbing at his temple.

---------------------

_He lay on his bed as the women moved over him, wanting to please him, not wanting to feel the full scale of his wrath should he be __**displeased**__. He smiled as he thought back to the destruction he had wrought, wrought so far. It was just the beginning, he could __**feel **__the fear that was rising within those in the upper realm, their confusion at what was happening to their world and their experts, their leaders being unable to give them the answers they so eagerly sought. Their distrust, the questioning of their faith just a ripple ...a ripple that **he **would turn into a tidal wave._

_He had ordered more demons to the surface; it would serve two purposes. To further the doubt of mankind and to use the sacrifice of his own to effect __**'the turning'**__ . He laughed malevolently, and those that killed his kind were blissfully unaware as to what was happening._

_He looked up as he heard movement at his door "Paymon"_

_The demon got down on one knee and bowed his head "The first has arrived, Master"_

_He smiled "Bring him to me"_

"_Your will" the demon left, returning moments later with a tall, dark-haired man. The man looked around inquisitively, his eyes finally coming to rest on the man in the bed with the women._

"_He has injuries" _

_Paymon nodded "He was a difficult capture. Your illustrious killing of the Angel Remliel bought about his return and his choice"_

_He nodded, watching as the man stared at the activities on the bed. He reached down, pulling one of the women up and turned her to face the man. Now he would see how well his plans were working. He reached round quickly and ripped the woman's throat out...the man didn't blink "Your name"_

_The man looked him in the eyes "Lucas. Lucas Mitchell"_

_**To be continued…**_


	5. Different Paths

(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Five.**

Jay was sitting on her duffel bag in a small park at the latest town she'd hitched to, eating a burger that tasted better than it looked. She was starving. She realised she hadn't eaten in almost two days and this was the third burger she'd wolfed down. She finished it off, wiped her hands on a napkin and burped loudly; _God, I'm such a pig, _she thought with a smile. She took out her phone, picked up her Coke, and drank as she listened to her voicemail messages; there were three from Sam, the first saying he was worried about Dean and to get in touch; the second asking where the hell she was and to get in touch...NOW; the last one saying he was gonna kick her 'ass' when he caught up with her. Two from Dean; the first asking where she was and to call back; the second…'_telling' _her to ring him, he needed to speak to her about something…and then some stammering about the woman who'd answered the phone when she'd called and then 'telling' her to ring him again. And nine were from Zeke…each one getting angrier and angrier…although the last one was him just saying her name, a plea.

She closed her phone and sat with it as she thought about what to do. If she rang Zeke, it would turn into an argument. If she rang Sam, it would turn into an argument and if she rang Dean…argument again. She sighed, she didn't want to argue with them, especially now but she didn't want them to worry either, so she sent Zeke a text, he hated the things but she couldn't speak to him…not just yet.

She put the phone back in her pocket and took her journal and the Bible she'd taken from the motel, from her bag. She was in no rush to get moving as she really had no idea where her next stop was going to be. All she knew was that she had to head south. She flicked to the 'Book of Revelations' and started to read again, making notes in her journal as she went. She reached into her bag again and took out the aspirin as a headache started up.

She'd been reading and writing for a while when her thoughts turned to Lucas; she flicked to the back of the journal where she kept her photos. She only had four, the one of her and Zeke as kids; another of her and Zeke before he'd gone missing …shit, that was almost four years ago now. One of her, Zeke, Dean and Sam after their escape from Hell, the four of them grinning like idiots, their arms around each other as they leaned against her car; and this one, the one of her and Lucas. Zeke had taken it about three months ago after a particularly nasty 'hunt' and 'banishing', the demons had fought hard and Lucas bore the injuries from that…she didn't of course, but they were both smiling, beers in hand as he gave her a piggy-back across a rickety old bridge. They'd almost fallen through but he'd won the bet.

She smiled sadly, she'd hated leaving him there like that, with no-one to watch over him but she'd had to get moving. She knew Lucas would have understood but she also knew the guilt would never truly go away either. She knew that Zeke would see to him and she hated that she'd had to have him find his best friend like that but there'd been no other choice. If what the demon had said was true, then she needed to find the answer to these headaches before she went anywhere near Zeke, Dean and Sam.

She sighed, threw her gear into her bag, picked up her coke and headed towards the highway for her next lift.

-------------------

Dean was sitting on the bed of another shitty motel, trying hard to ignore Zeke…it was pretty difficult as Sam was in the shower and it was just the two of them in the room. He thought back on what had happened at the bar last night; he hadn't picked up but he'd dealt with his headache another way. He looked at his knuckles, completely healed.

"Your nose is healed too" said Zeke and Dean nodded "You almost killed him, Dean. If me and Sam hadn't been there…"

Dean nodded, when Zeke and Sam had tried pulling him off the man, he'd turned on them. If Zeke wasn't as big as he was and if Sam hadn't been able to get through to him…he guessed he probably _would _have killed the man. "Sorry about your lip, dude"

Zeke shook his head "No worries" he looked hard at Dean "What's happening to you, mate?"

"I'm alright" said Dean.

"Yeah, the demon over-kill and random violence really points to that" he sighed "Look Dean, I know we haven't spoken in over a year but…even _I _can see that something's not right up there" and he pointed to Dean's head "You don't want to tell me, that's fine…but tell Sam"

"Dude…I'm fine, really. Just lettin' off some steam"

"Bullshit. It's got something to do with those headaches. I _know_, Dean. Jay's the same. When the headaches come she hits the nearest pub and if I'm not dragging her out of a fight, I'm…" he laughed.

"You're what?"

He laughed again and shook his head "Nothing"

"No, dude…finish…" he stopped when Zeke's phone beeped.

Zeke grabbed his phone from his pocket and flipped it open "Jay" he read the text message "Shit. She _knows _I hate text messages"

"What's it say?" asked Dean, rising from the bed and going over to Zeke.

"It's just has Lucas' name, co-ordinates and _'I'm fine' _" he stood, went to the bathroom door and banged on it "Sam! Hurry up! We're moving out!" he turned to Dean "I'll meet you out front" and he left the room as Sam opened the bathroom door.

"What's going on?" asked Sam as he went to his bag.

"Jay just sent Zeke a text, co-ordinates with Lucas' name" he flipped his phone open "This is bullshit" he dialled Jay's number "Freakin' voicemail again" he waited "Jay, its Dean. Answer your damn phone! We're with Zeke, so you ring one of us and tell us where you are or so help me, when I catch up with you, I'm gonna give you the biggest ass-kicking of your goddamn life!" he flipped the phone shut.

Sam slipped his boots on, grabbed his phone and rang Jay "What Dean said!" and he flipped his phone shut, picked up his bag and followed Dean out the door.

-------------------

The three men arrived at the co-ordinates Jay had sent, about four hours later. The Impala pulling up beside the Bel Air and in front of a well kept farmhouse. They all got out and stared at the house, something wasn't right here. Dean felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end and his hand went automatically to the small of his back. He noticed that Sam and Zeke had done the same thing.

Zeke turned "Dean, go round back. If Lucas is there...well he knows who you are"

Dean nodded and pulled the pistol from the waistband of his jeans and moved cautiously towards the back of the house.

Zeke and Sam walked slowly to the front of the house, their pistols held at their sides. They got to the front door and stood either side of it. Zeke knocked and waited, he got no response. He knocked again "Lucas! It's Zeke. Open up!"

Sam looked at Zeke and whispered "I don't like this, dude"

"Me either" he tried the handle, it was locked. He stepped in front of the door and kicked it open. The smell hit them immediately and they put a hand to their noses. They raised their pistols when they heard the backdoor crash open and Dean swear. They moved into the room. It was bare…well apart from the symbols Jay had drawn on the floor and a huge pool of dried blood staining the floor boards.

Dean walked into the room, a hand over his nose "Fuck me…" he looked at the floor then up at Zeke. Zeke knew. If the amount of blood wasn't enough then the smell confirmed it. Lucas was dead…but where the hell was his body?

Dean saw what looked like faint drag marks in the dust and followed them to another empty room "Sam…Zeke" they came in and looked at the symbol carved into the floor boards.

"That's not one of Jay's" said Zeke.

"How do you know?" asked Sam.

Zeke went over, crouched near the diagram and pointed to a symbol carved into it "This…"

"Where have I seen that before…?" Sam furrowed his brow.

"What is it?" asked Dean

"It's the _'Seal of the Left Hand Path'_" he rose and looked at the brothers "It's only used by demons… _powerful _demons" he shook his head "Whoever did this, we're talking high-ranking, upper-echelon bastards. You don't mess around with this shit, it opens the path to Satan. There's no _way_, Jay would have done this. She may be stupid sometimes but she's not _this _stupid"

"Lucas?" asked Sam softly.

Zeke stared at the diagram on the floor "We all know he's dead" he said softly "you don't need to tip-toe around it. But this…" he motioned to the floor "This is a worry"

--------------

Jay sat in the truck as it rumbled down the highway, the old farmer trying to make conversation with her and she did her best but she just wasn't in the mood, nothing he said registered with her. She smiled and nodded in all the right places and then asked if they could listen to the radio. He'd nodded, somewhat relieved, the woman in the seat next to him, although by all outward appearances, seemed harmless, the further along they travelled, the more he wished he hadn't picked her up.

Jay stared out the window as she listened to the bad 'country & western' music playing on the radio, she smiled to herself, was there _good _'country & western' music? She didn't think so. She reached into her bag and took out another bottle of coke and sipped at it as the station switched to the news for the day. Jay sat straighter, reached over and turned up the volume. She turned to the man in the seat next to her "When did this happen?"

He looked at her like she was from another planet "Where yer bin, girl?" he shook his head at her "Them Chinese declared war on The Ruskies two days ago" he shook his head again "World's at war, child"

Jay thanked the man as he dropped her off. She knew he hadn't wanted to take her this far, had wanted her out of his truck but she'd begged him and he'd finally relented. She'd tried to give him gas money but he'd shaken his head, saying she probably needed it more than he did. She watched him turn around and drive back the way they'd come before turning round and staring at the building. She adjusted the bags on her shoulders and walked towards the building, quelling the butterflies she felt in her stomach. She walked up the stone steps, each step she took seeming to get more difficult. She got to the door, took a deep breath, pushed it open and stepped into the old Church.

---------------------

_He bought the one called Lucas Mitchell down to the fiery pits, to bear witness to his power, to __**his **__glory. This one would be one of his champions, one to lead the rebellion against those who would not turn. The man stood perfectly relaxed in his presence, there was no fear, only curiosity, his 'turning' not yet fully effected. _

_He beckoned the man to him and he came willingly, no faltering of step, no hesitation, just obedience. The man stopped in front of him and looked up at him expectantly. _

"_You are the first of your kind to venture here….you will lead…."_

"_No, I'm not" he stated "Four have been here before me"_

"_How do you know this?" his voice was like gravel in the underground chamber._

_Lucas stared at the man in front of him "Two are friends of mine"_

_Lucas didn't flinch as the man took his true form, issuing a roar that burst his eardrums. He stood patiently as the blood trickled out of his ears and watched as his 'Master' reached over and picked up a demon who was cowering in the far corner and ripped him in two, throwing him into the fiery pits. The flames shooting skywards as it consumed another soulless one. _

_Lucas stood and waited….waited for his orders._

_**To be continued…**_


	6. Losing my Religion

(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Six.**

Jay walked slowly into the Church, trying to keep her mind from going back to her childhood. _'Repressed much?' _she thought with a wry smile. There was a …coldness about the place. It wasn't just the lack of heat…the chill she felt was more than that. She walked towards the aisle, her fingers going instinctively to the receptacle and performing the 'signum crucis'. Some habits were just too hard to break.

She trod warily towards the front of the Church, all the pews were empty, which she found surprising, it was during times such as these…natural disasters and war, that people turned to their religion for answers, for comfort. She looked around, the stained-glass windows depicting the _'Stations of the Cross'_ would have been beautiful had she been able to see through the layers of grime and dust. The altar was bare…another strange sight. Unless they did things differently in America, then the altar was _always_ covered when not in use. She turned to her left, the confessionary was empty as well…but there was one lone candle burning amongst the many dead ones, so there was someone here who held out some hope.

She went to the front pew, put her bags down and sat, her mind going over the events of the last couple of weeks. At face value…they were random events in a world that most guessed was heading in this direction anyway…but put together and knowing the things she did… She shook her head, she didn't want to believe it and she didn't _have _all the facts, all she had was supposition. But goddamn…_'crap' _she thought to herself _'really shouldn't say __**that **__here…or say crap for that matter either'_ she laughed softly to herself, well she'd been to Hell before, still she really didn't want to go back nor was she in the mood to take _that_ trip down memory lane either.

She looked up at the Cross; the most sacred image of all Christian religions, a sign of God's unconditional love for mankind…and _it _showed an act that was covered in blood, an act of cruelty that showed mankind at it's basest. She sighed, and _that _was the reason the nun's had kept sending her to 'confession'…her unending questions and penchant to argue her point. So why had she come to a Church? To a place that didn't hold fond memories; to a place that she knew, if she were to ask questions, would only have _'the good book' _quoted back to her verbatim. She guessed she _had _come here in the hope of having her theory confirmed …but she also knew that she'd come here for something else. Something for which she thought she'd _never _go to a Church. Sanctuary.

----------------

Zeke had gone outside to make some phone calls and, Sam guessed, to be away from the smell that had been his friend. He took his phone out and snapped a couple of photos of the diagram that was carved into the floor. He looked up at Dean "I don't get it…where the hell's the body, dude?"

Dean crouched next to the diagram and pointed "The drag marks end there, on top of it" he looked around but all he could see were their footprints in the dust that covered the floor.

"Would they take the body?"

"I don't know…and Zeke doesn't know how this works either…he just knew that symbol. It's more Jay's domain and she's freakin' well incommunicado"

"I'll send her the photos, see if she gets back to us" said Sam.

"No…she wants to go off on her own, let her"

Sam laughed "Yeah, okay"

"No, we'll figure it out first. We'll go back and see if we can pick up her trail"

Sam grinned "So you _do _want to find her then?"

"Shut up" he stood.

"I'm gonna ride with Zeke for the trip back" said Sam as he took one more photo of the diagram "Make sure he's alright"

Dean nodded, he'd be happy for the solitude. Just him and his baby and not having to worry about Sam having 'chick flick' moments with him…Zeke'd be on the receiving end of those. Poor bastard. He walked out, the smell hitting him like a punch in the face again. Lucas had died _here_…had been dead for at least two days before he'd been moved into that other room. And where the hell had Jay been while all this was going on.

He walked outside and saw Zeke leaning against Jay's car, talking to someone on his cell phone. He nodded a couple of times before closing his phone and putting it in this jacket.

"You sort out what you needed?" asked Dean.

Zeke nodded "Just letting his Dad know"

"Jesus…what did you tell him?"

"He was a hunter too, Dean. He understands. Told him if we found his body, we'd bring him back"

"He have a…umm girlfriend or anything like that you need to contact?" asked Dean.

Zeke ignored Dean and looked over as Sam came out of the cabin "You riding with me, Sam?"

Sam laughed softly, of course Zeke knew he was "Just let me grab my gear"

Zeke turned back to Dean "We'll head back to that shitty town and go from there" he got into Jay's car and revved the engine.

Sam jumped into the passenger seat and grinned at his brother "Now you can play Zeppelin as loud as you like"

Dean gave Sam the finger and went to the Impala, he revved the engine, spun the car round, hit the accelerator and shot out of the property, the car's tyres kicking up the dirt as he sped away and he couldn't help but wonder why Zeke had ignored his question.

--------------

Sam was sitting with the laptop open on his knees, scrolling through diagram after complicated diagram, looking for the one that had been carved on the cabin floor. And after two hours of searching and finding nothing, he put the laptop aside and picked up his fathers journal again.

"If you haven't found the first four times, Sam, you're not gonna find it again" said Zeke, glancing over at the journal.

"There _has _to be something somewhere on it"

"Not necessarily. Do you really think something that powerful would be widespread?" he shook his head "That's something they keep to themselves. Why they didn't destroy it after they used it…that's another question"

"A question Jay'd be able to answer, right?" Zeke nodded "You don't know a lot about 'banishing' then?"

"Just the fundamentals. Everything else is kept strictly secret"

"But you've seen her perform a 'banishing' haven't you?" asked Sam.

Zeke shook his head "She's always made me or Lucas, whomever was with her at the time, wait outside. We've heard bits of the ceremony…but once the screams start…" he looked over at Sam "Sorry, mate"

Sam shook his head "I don't remember a lot about it. The sword-fight in my head with Lothar, I do…but I'm guessing that was more of a manifestation of what I _believed _a battle for my soul would be"

Zeke looked over at Sam and smiled "You think too much, Sam"

Sam laughed "You've been inside my head, Zeke. You know what I'm like"

Zeke nodded "Which leads us to another problem" he glanced at Sam and reached out to him _Can you hear me, Sam?_

Sam looked at him "Of course I can hear you"

Zeke smiled "Look at me, Sam" Sam looked at him and Zeke kept his mouth tightly closed _Can you see my lips moving, mate?_

"Alright, you gotta stop doing that, it freaks me out. We're the only ones in the car, dude. No-one's eavesdropping"

Zeke laughed "Yeah, but I can _reach _you, Sam"

"I'm sitting right next to you, dude"

Zeke laughed "Yeah, but I'd be able to do that if you were in the car with Dean. I'd be able to _find _you because I _know_ you. It'd take longer if I didn't know where you were but I've been in your mind so the link's already established. Same as it is with Jay and with Lucas. But I _can't _reach them and I should be able to. It's being blocked by something and that's never happened before"

"Okay…so…the problem is….?"

He looked over at Sam then at the Impala travelling in front of them "I can't reach Dean either"

-----------------

_He roared and roared, his fury at being reminded of the ones that had escaped, had made him look the fool, incalculable. The roars echoed through Hell, travelling up darkened passageways, crashing into shadowed chambers, reverberating through the depths and sending a warning to all those that called this place home that their 'Master' was on the war-path. Demons cowered at the sound of __**his **__fury, and the voices of the damned, the anguished wails of the forsaken rose to match it. The howling cries intensifying, sending out a call…a curse for those that were meant to hear, to __**heed**_

_And in this cacophony, in the terror that was wreaking it's way through Hell, stood one man; unflinching, not cowed by the evil in front of him. He watched and he listened…waiting for the time when he would be called into action. Called forth to lead the legions against his own. _

-------------

Dean was driving back to that shitty town, he _wasn't _listening to Zeppelin, he had AC/DC blaring from the speakers, hoping the music would distract him from his wandering mind. He took his phone out of his jacket and then put it back. There was no point even trying to call Jay, she wasn't going to answer and he'd be damned if he was going to leave another message that she was going to ignore.

It was just this attitude that pissed him off, infuriated him, drove him crazy. She did whatever she freakin' well wanted without thought to anyone else or how it would affect them…and it didn't matter which way he looked at it, he missed her. He slammed his hand on the steering wheel, he didn't _want _to miss her. When they'd left George's, they'd both known that it didn't matter how they felt about each other, they'd had to go their separate ways. Dean had convinced himself that it was better that way, keeping the distance between them …it was better. But she'd _promised _him that if she needed him, she'd call. But noooo…not Jay. Damn headstrong, stubborn, pain in the ass. He reached into his pocket and took his cell phone out, automatically dialling her number "Jay, its me…just call, call like you promised you would when we left Georges" he flipped his phone shut, hoping the memory of their time at George's would make her call...and then he could kick her ass for making him be stuck in that memory.

He leaned over and popped the glove-box, taking out the aspirin and popping a couple, the headache was starting to come-back again…he looked at his watch…4.12pm…shit, he had about four hours of dull-thudding in the back of his skull to sit through. He pushed his foot to the floor, the Impala leaping forward, her engine echoing a roar that was starting to build in his head.

------------

Jay was reading the Bible when she heard the rustling of cloth and then felt the creaking of the pew as someone settled themselves next to her.

"The Book of Revelations. Interesting choice"

Jay looked up at the Priest and closed the Bible, resting it on her knees "I wouldn't think so"

"No?"

"No. Why would you?" she took in his rumpled vestments, his unshaven face, the dark-circles under his eyes and the fingernails that had been chewed down to almost bleeding point "I'd think that considering all that's happening, Revelations would be _the _one to read"

He gave her a short smile "It is easy to see the signs of the Apocalypse …if you look hard enough"

"And what if it's laid out in front of you?"

"You are not 'John', child"

"Never said I was, but even a blind man can see what's happening out there" she was starting to get pissed. It was just _this _self-righteous attitude that annoyed the crap out of her.

"There will always be wars, famine, disease and storms that defy explanation. To read The Apocalypse into it …well that would be a fool's errand"

"I'm beginning to see why your Church is empty" she muttered. She turned to him "Tell me, the one's that fight, fight on either side…how are they chosen?"

"The Bible says…"

"I don't want to hear what the Bible says, I want to hear what _you _think, what you believe"

"I believe what I read in the Bible"

"Oh come on. Put the …_'I'm a man of God and don't question the words of the Bible' _aside and _tell _me"

He stared at her for a long time and she held his gaze "I think…I _believe _that we are _all _chosen to fight. Fight the battle for ourselves ...but that there are those that have been selected to fight the _literal _battle. That only _they _can decide on which side they fight. Choice. It all comes down to choice"

"Not influence?"

"There is always influence. Only those with the strength to see through _his _lies will fight for God…for mankind. Those that do not…" he shrugged "They'll fight for _him_"

"Angels?"

"Sent to guide us…but there is always free-will"

"What if there isn't?" she asked.

"Free-will?"

She nodded "What if…what if the one's that are meant to guide us…to help us through these times are corrupted?" she rubbed at her temples, great, another headache was starting up. She looked at her watch 4.12pm…she wouldn't be free of this headache until at least after eight.

"Well _everyone_ can be corrupted, child. Isn't that _his _way?"

She looked up into the grinning face of the Priest and saw that even those who chose to preach God's word weren't always able to see through the lies.

_**To be continued…**_


	7. Lost and Found

(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Seven.**

_The blood ran slowly down the walls of the chamber, catching in the deep gouges **His **claws had made before pooling at the base. Small tributaries of blood wove their way towards the pits, hissing and bubbling as they neared; the blood seeming to want to escape the wrath that had befallen its previous hosts. The demons lay where they had been torn apart, the steam rising from their broken bodies, their faces forever held in their death masks, their terrified screams still echoing in the room._

_Lucas stood amongst the carnage, completely untouched, his only injury, the burst eardrums from the initial roar of his 'Master'. He looked down as a trickle of blood fought its way towards the pits and he watched in fascination as the blood seemed to climb up and over his boot before continuing its journey towards the eternal fire. He looked up as he was cast in shadow, his 'Master' standing in front of him, spattered in the blood of his victims. His Master put a hand to his head and he felt the blood run slowly back up his neck and into his ears and he smiled as his hearing was returned._

"_You know of the ones that escaped?" he rumbled._

_Lucas nodded "I know two. The others are friends of theirs"_

"_Which are the ones that are your….__**'friends'**__" he spat the last word out._

"_Zeke and Jay Thomas"_

"_You know 'The Banisher'?" he asked, the rage starting to build again._

_Lucas nodded "She was with me…" he frowned "…earlier" he couldn't quite remember the last time he'd seen her or what it was they'd been doing. All he could remember were her eyes, looking at him with concern…then her face covered with blood "I can't remember"_

"_And the other two?"_

"_Dean and Sam Winchester. I don't know them but they are close to Zeke and Jay"_

_His 'Master' laughed and it chilled him "I bet they are" he looked thoughtfully at the man in front of him "You miss your 'friends'?" _

_Lucas thought on the question "I think so…"_

"_I have a special task for you. One that only __**you **__can fulfil; one that will make me __**very **__happy" he circled the man "You wish to serve me well? To please me?"_

"_Yes"_

"_Then listen well, Lucas Mitchell…"_

----------------

Sam stared at Zeke "What do you mean you can't reach him?"

"Just that. I've tried…a lot and I get the same thing I do when I try to reach Jay…nothing but static"

"The headaches" mused Sam.

Zeke nodded "That's what I'm thinking but even when Jay wasn't in the middle of the headache I couldn't reach her"

"So there's something …residual about them" he looked at the Impala then back to Zeke and opened his mouth.

"Just tried again, Sam. Nothing" said Zeke. He smiled "Sorry, should let you finish sentences"

Sam smiled "Or start them" he shifted in his seat "When we were at Ellen's… I saw…shit, I don't know how many hunters…"

Zeke nodded "I saw it too. I tried to reach a few and got the same thing" he looked over at Sam "I didn't want to say anything in front of Dean…he really hasn't been himself"

Sam laughed "No shit"

"Has it got anything to do with what happened at Gus'?"

"I think that's part of it. That he thinks he needs to punish himself for trading my soul and then for making me…you know. He refuses to talk about it, of course, but _that's _a part of Dean that _hasn't _changed. He doesn't do _'chick-flick moments' _as he likes to call them"

Zeke nodded "If there'd been another way, Sam, you know I'd have done it"

"Jesus, dude…I know that" he smiled at Zeke "I can self-heal and drink without getting a hangover…I'm pretty happy"

Zeke laughed "Yeah, those three beers last night must have been a _real _challenge"

Sam grinned "Asshole"

Zeke returned the grin, he'd missed this easy banter with Sam "It's _arse_hole, mate" he sighed and turned serious "We need to figure out what the hell these headaches mean and why Jay, Dean and a whole heap of hunters seem to be getting them…"

"And why we're not" Sam finished.

------------

They pulled up at the motel again at just after 8pm. Dean got out and went straight to the desk to check them back in. He came out with keys and tossed a set to Zeke "I'm gonna shower" he grabbed his bag from the backseat and headed towards the motel room.

"Zeke and I are gonna head over to the bar…we'll see you over there" said Sam.

Dean didn't turn round, just raised a hand to signal he'd heard them, opened the door and disappeared inside.

Sam looked over at Zeke "We didn't find anything last night, dude…"

Zeke nodded "But it'll be a different crowd tonight and I don't know about you but I need a drink" and he clapped Sam on the shoulder and they headed over to start their subtle questioning again.

------------

Jay stared into the eyes of the Priest; they say the eyes are the window to the soul and if that were the case then she was in some serious trouble…again.

"You ask a lot of questions…too _many _questions. You should have left when you had the chance" he grinned at her "Why do you think this place is deserted? Why my parishioners stay away?"

"Aaah, cause your sermons suck?" she started to edge her hand slowly towards the small of her back but he grabbed her wrist and squeezed it painfully, rubbing the bones together. She tried to pull it free but he held it in a vice-like grip.

"No…" he cocked his head "although now that I think back on it, they probably did" he laughed "But they don't come because even _they _sense that something's not right here…but _you _didn't. You walked right into my home…my lair" he grinned again "Didn't listen to that little voice in your head did you?"

"Look, just let me walk out of here. I won't go to the police, I won't say anything"

"Can't let that happen, I'm afraid" he rubbed his hand down his chin "You see, I've been shown what's coming…I _know _who will be victorious and I've made my choice"

"You could always switch sides again…I hear the Big Boss is pretty forgiving. I'm sure He wouldn't mind" she reasoned.

He laughed at her "Impossible" he squeezed her wrist painfully again "You see I've already sealed my choice in blood…there _is _no going back for me and why would I? To be on the side of the victorious...drowned in glory..." his eyes shone with a demented light.

"Just let me go…you really don't want to do this...especially here..."

"Nope, I've had a taste now and I _like _it" he grinned "And here has it's own ...poetic justice don't you think?" she didn't see the punch that rocked her head sideways, the punch that almost knocked her out. She reached for the pistol at her back with her other hand and he grabbed that wrist and snapped it, the sound of it echoing through the empty church. He punched her again and again and as he dragged her towards the vestibule, the last thing she saw before she lost consciousness was him pinching out the flame of that last candle.

------------------

Dean stood under the shower, willing the last of the headache away. He looked at his wrist, the pain was now almost entirely gone. He didn't understand why it hurt, he'd just been driving along, not really thinking about anything…well he had been, but he was quite comfortable in his denial at the moment so he was gonna run with it; when he'd felt a searing pain in his left wrist. He'd watched as it had swelled and started to blacken before his eyes. He'd couldn't understand it, but it did the one thing his mind had been unable to do. switch his thoughts off Jay.

It had taken almost an hour before the swelling and bruising had started to fade. He lifted his face to the water and wondered again what was happening to him. First the headaches and now phantom pain, This was just getting better and better.

He turned off the shower, got out and dried himself. He didn't really want to go to the bar tonight…not because he didn't want a drink, hell, in his current mood, he could down three bottles of whiskey and a couple bottles of tequila and still be the last man standing. It was what he'd do _once _he hit 'that place' again that he didn't want to think about.

He walked out of the bathroom and changed into his standard dress; jeans, t-shirt, shirt and boots. He picked up his phone, no missed calls and no messages, what a surprise. He grabbed his wallet and was about to put it into his pocket and stopped. He opened it and took out the photo of him, Sam, Zeke and Jay. The photo that now never changed. The photo of him and Jay with their arms round each other, their other around their brothers. He put the photo back in his wallet and shoved the wallet into his pocket. He grabbed his jacket and headed towards the door, his fingers going to his necklace as his phone rang. His heart started racing, it was Jay…he knew it. He flipped the phone open "Jay"

"I'm in trouble, Dean" she croaked out.

"Where are you?"

"In a small town in Oklahoma" she gave him the co-ordinates.

He looked at his watch "I can be there in just over an hour" he grabbed his bag "You sit tight, don't you go _anywhere_ until I get there. Promise me"

"I promise" she said softly.

"I mean it, Jay" he said as he walked out the door "You _stay _there"

"I will. Just get here as soon as you can…and bring some aspirin. I'm out"

He threw his bag on the back seat "Got a steady supply. I'll see you in an hour" he jumped into the Impala, gunned the engine and sped out of the motel parking lot. It didn't even occur to him to tell Sam and Zeke.

----------------

Dean pulled up in front of the old church just under an hour later, he hadn't pushed the Impala this hard in a long time but she seemed to relish the challenge and every time he'd pushed her harder she had responded with a deep rumbling and if he didn't know his car any better, he could have sworn she was smiling.

He switched off the engine and got out, shutting the door as he looked at the stone building. It was in stark contrast to the rest of the town. The town seemed to be striving to drag itself into the twenty-first century while this church seemed to want to drag it back to the middle-ages. He checked the pistol at his back and the daggers in his boots as he walked slowly up the stone steps. Something here wasn't right.

He got to the door and pushed it open slowly. The chill hit him immediately and he automatically pulled the pistol from the waistband of his jeans. He edged into the church, the gun at his side, his finger on the trigger. He glanced around quickly but couldn't see Jay anywhere. He moved silently to the right hand side of the church and edged towards the front. As he got to the confessionary, he saw someone slumped on the front pew "Jay?" he whispered. He moved quickly, it was her. He went to her side "Jay" he put a hand to her face, she was cold. He checked for a pulse, there was none. He turned her over and flinched when he saw the blood covering her t-shirt. He scooped her up and ran down the church aisle, kicking the door open and taking her quickly to the Impala, laying her down on the back seat. He took his jacket off and draped it over her. He closed the door, ran back into the church, grabbed her bags and ran back to her.

He threw the bags on the passenger seat and checked Jay for a pulse again, still nothing. He jumped into the driver's seat and sped towards the closest motel.

--------------

Sam was on his fourth beer and third complete stranger, trying to see if they'd seen Jay when he looked at his watch. Dean should have been here by now. He excused himself and went to the door of the bar and opened it. He looked for Dean but saw nothing but the motel parking lot minus the Impala. Shit. He turned back and spotted Zeke chatting with one of the barmaids. Zeke turned to him, said something to the waitress, grabbed his jacket and threaded his way over to Sam.

"The Impala's gone"

They walked quickly out of the bar, ran across the road and towards the motel. They knocked but got no response.

"If he's gone missing, I'm gonna kick _his_ arse too" said Zeke as Sam picked the lock.

Sam flung the door open and they walked into an empty room and looked around "His bag's gone. The _asshole!"_

"How long ago did we leave him?"

Sam looked at his watch "Shit, almost two hours ago…I didn't realise the time. Fuck!" he punched the wall. "I'm gonna _kill_ him" he grabbed his phone and dialled his brothers number.

------------

Dean put Jay down on the bed of the motel in the next town over. She had a faint pulse now and was starting to shiver. He took her boots off, got his dagger out and cut her t-shirt open. Jesus…the wounds had healed but there had to be at least eight fresh stab wounds to her chest. He got up, went to the bathroom and came back with a wet towel and cleaned the blood from her.

"Jay…Jay…its Dean…wake up now" he lifted her up gently, slipping the remains of the t-shirt off her and then removed her bloodied jeans. He pulled the blankets over her "Jay…" he felt her pulse, it was getting stronger "Come on, Jay…you're almost back"

He kept talking to her, guiding her back and she finally opened her eyes slowly "Hey…" he smiled at her.

A smiled touched her lips "Dean…" she put hand to his face and closed her eyes again.

He got up, turned off the light, kicked his boots off and lay down next to her. He slipped his arms round her and held her close. He was asleep minutes later, his phone left unanswered in the car.

_**To be continued…**_


	8. A Pathway Opened

(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Eight.**

Jay woke with a scream as the memories of what happened in the Church came crashing back. She felt arms tighten around her and a voice whispering quietly in her ear, a voice she hadn't heard in over a year, a voice she had longed to hear. He'd come, like he said he would. He pulled her against him, his whisperings getting softer as he lay gentle kisses down her face, finally finding her lips. She held him to her and everything was forgotten; all the pain, all the horror of the last couple of weeks, forgotten. She was back where she belonged.

Dean had been sound asleep, his dreams strange ones; ones of an upcoming battle, a battle that surrounded him, a battle fought on desolate plains; legions of soldiers laid out before and behind him. A war was beginning and he and Jay were in the middle of it. He saw Sam and Zeke on one side, sitting astride horses, swords at the ready while he and Jay circled on their horses in the middle of the armies, looking from one side to the other…confusion, indecision etched clearly on their features...

He was jolted out of the dream by a scream and he felt Jay jump in his arms. He pulled her against him, whispering quietly, talking her out of the nightmare, re-assuring her that she was alright, he was here now and everything was gonna be alright. He forgot all about the dream as his lips found hers, forgot about being angry with her as she slipped his t-shirt off and forgot about everything when he was finally naked against her. She was back, back with him and this time, he would not let her go.

----------------------------------

As Jay and Dean were sleeping, Sam and Zeke were cursing them. Sam was _sure_ that Jay had rung and Dean had high-tailed it out of there without so much as a word to either of them. He _knew _Dean hadn't caught the scent of a demon and was off doing scary fucking shit to it, he'd have left his bag if he was. No, he'd done a runner…just like Jay. And just like Jay, he wasn't answering his phone.

"Well this is fucking brilliant!" said Zeke as he paced the motel room, his long legs making it almost comical….three steps, turn, three steps, turn. "Now they've _both _gone missing and I can't reach either of them and …and…" he turned to Sam "you get 'the chair' for fratricide right?"

"We'll try not to kill them in Texas" said Sam and he tried Dean again…voicemail…"Dean…PICK UP YOUR GODDAMN PHONE AND GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE!" he slammed the phone shut and threw it onto the bed before the urge to throw it against the wall overtook him.

"Alright, we have to calm down and think this through rationally" said Zeke and he took his phone from his jacket and dialled "Jay…if you don't answer your phone, when I catch up with you…I'M GONNA MIND-FUCK YOU TIL YOUR EARS BLEED!"

Sam looked at Zeke and laughed "Oh, dude…that whole rational thing? You got that down pat"

"Do you have _any _idea how annoying it is having her as a sister?"

Sam raised an eyebrow "Aaah, yeah, spent a month with her at Georges. And Dean's not much better either, remember?"

"Shit, they freakin' well deserve each other!" he started to pace again, muttering under his breath "goddamn pains in the arse the two of them, think they can do shit like this alone, kill 'em, that's what I'm gonna do, kill the both of 'em..."

"Okay, there's no way they're coming back here. Let's get moving, I've a contact about two hours from here that might be able to help"

Sam grabbed his phone from the bed and followed Zeke out to the Chevy. The tyres spun as they sped out of the parking lot, heading to the main highway and hopefully towards someone who could give them some answers, both of them completely unaware that Dean and Jay were only three towns over.

----------------------------

Sam and Zeke shuffled their feet as they stood on the porch of the cabin, their hands in their pockets in the vain attempt to keep them warm.

"It's almost three in the morning, Sam…" whispered Zeke as he hunched his shoulders.

"Doesn't matter…I can…" the door opened, stopping Sam mid-sentence "Bobby"

"Get your asses inside, it's freakin' freezing" he stared at Zeke as he walked in. He knew who this was but he wasn't what he'd expected. He'd seen the photo, but the man that had walked past him had almost doubled in size. He followed them into the main room "Sit"

Sam made the introductions "Bobby, this is Zeke Thomas. Zeke, Bobby Singer"

"Meetchya" said Bobby as they shook hands.

"Pleasure"

Bobby sat back in the armchair "Took you long enough to get here, Sam. Thought you and your brother would have been here at least a week ago" he looked at Zeke "See you got a brother with you, just the wrong one"

Sam gave a half-hearted smile "Yeah. Jay's been on the run for almost two weeks and we're pretty sure Dean's with her now. Did a runner a few hours ago"

"I take it neither one's answering their phones then" Zeke and Sam shook their heads. Bobby looked at Zeke "The boys explained your…_gift _to me…well as best they could…"

"Can't reach either of them. Can reach Sam but not Jay and Dean"

"Headaches?" asked Bobby.

Zeke frowned "Yeah, the both of them. Jay's had hers for at least six months…same as Dean"

Bobby nodded and sat deep in thought "You two notice anything else strange going on?"

"You mean the storms and tornado's …yeah…lots of weird shit. But we're kinda concentrating on finding Dean and Jay" said Sam.

Bobby leaned forward in his armchair "It's all _linked _Sam, can't you see that?" he stood and went to the kitchen and came back with three beers "Dean and Jay aren't the only hunters that have fallen off the radar…"

"Jay isn't exactly a hunter" said Zeke.

"She kill demons?" asked Bobby and Zeke nodded "She's a hunter. Call her a fancy name if you like, but she's a hunter just the same…she's just more…specialised is all"

Zeke looked at Sam "You told?"

Sam shook his head "He knew from the necklace Dean was wearing, the one Jay gave him"

"I'd have known if I'd have met her, son. I can spot a 'Banisher' a mile away"

"Is that right?" said Zeke angrily.

"Yeah, it is" he paused "Those two are in a heap o'trouble. More than I think even they realise"

"The headaches" said Sam.

"Those aren't exactly headaches, Sam" he paused and looked at both the men in front of him "They're a _'summoning'_"

"Summoning? What the fuck are you talking about Bobby?" asked Sam.

Bobby stared at Sam incredulously and shook his head "For the _Battle_, Sam"

"Battle?"

"The battle you've _all_ been preparing for" said Bobby. Sam and Zeke just stared at him and Bobby sighed "_'The Apocalypse'_, boys…and Dean and Jay are being called to the other side"

------------------

Dean woke as he felt Jay shift against him and settle back to sleep. He kissed her forehead softly and closed his eyes, he knew he should get up, get organised, find out what Jay had been up to these last few weeks but he was happy just being here, in the moment with no thoughts of anything. He drifted off to sleep again, holding the woman he loved against him.

He was back in that desolate landscape, he and Jay on the horses as legions were spread out around them. This time he _felt_ the confusion, the indecision…he didn't know which way to turn, which army he should be fighting with. He heard a soft whispering in his ear, promises of a life fulfilled, promises of anything his heart desired. He was shown flashes of possibilities…money, fame, women…but he turned from those and looked towards his brother before turning round again…it shouldn't be a difficult decision, he should be fighting with his brother, with Sam. He turned again, saw Jay and smiled…he was shown another possibility…another temptation, one that held Jay and he stopped his horse and watched …

Jay nestled against Dean, her mind only partially awake as she took in his familiar scent, his arms around her and it soothed her back to sleep …and into a strange dream. She was on a horse in the middle of a stark landscape, legions of soldiers surrounding her…her and Dean. She was turning from one …army, they were armies laid out in front and behind her; and she had to make a choice but she didn't know _what _she was expected to choose. She saw Zeke and Sam on one side of her and she figured that was where she _should_ be…but she wasn't sure. She turned to the other army and wondered why she thought that one held possibilities; then she was shown the possibilities, none of which she found at all tempting. She wasn't one for material things so it didn't interest her. She turned and caught Dean smiling at her and she smiled in return…and she was shown another possibility…one that made her stop and watch…

------------------

Bobby laughed softly at the look on Sam and Zeke's faces "You two have been so caught-up in finding Dean and Jay that you don't know what the hell's been happening with the world" he got up, grabbed a stack of newspapers from a nearby table and sat back down.

He threw the first newspaper down on the coffee table "Tornado's, floods, earthquakes literally tearing the country apart" he threw the next newspaper down "China and Russia at War" the next newspaper "Tidal wave that destroyed pretty much all of Indonesia" next newspaper "Bangladesh no longer exists" next newspaper "same with the south island of New Zealand" next newspaper "the middle-east conflict, escalated again" the next three newspapers "most of Africa can't feed it's people so civil wars have broken out all over the place" another newspaper "Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland back at it again" he looked at them "want me to keep going? 'Cause domestically, the rise in mass-suicide and mass-murder has sky-rocketed these last few days; not to mention the destruction and desecration of Churches and murder of priests and the like"

Sam and Zeke reached over and picked up newspaper after newspaper. They'd had no idea. They didn't listen to the radio and they never watched tv.

"Fuck me…" said Sam.

"You got that straight, Sam. Everyone's worried. You got the crazies out there spouting 'end of the world' crap as usual and no-one's paying them any mind and for once the bastards have actually got it right"

"So why are Dean and Jay having the headaches and Zeke and I aren't?"

"Because we've had demons in us…well _you _have, Sam and I've been in your head so their lies won't work with us…we're kind of immune" said Zeke.

Bobby nodded "That's what I'm guessing"

"Dean and Jay are too sensible for that. They'd _know_" said Sam.

"I think Jay has an idea of what's happening…that talk she had with Ash…she saw the beginnings of it"

"So why run? She'd have been better off staying with you…why didn't she ring you after Lucas was killed? Shit…" he took out his phone and flicked through the menu "Bobby, take a look at this, found it at a place where Jay had done a 'banishing'" he passed the phone to Bobby.

Bobby studied it, his face knitting into a frown "This isn't a 'banishing' symbol…it's…" he looked at Zeke "that Lucas person….his body missing?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Because _'The Seal of the Left Hand Path'_ is carved into it"

"Yeah, saw that" said Sam "What's it mean?"

"Trouble" he looked at Zeke "You and he close?"

Zeke nodded "So are he and Jay"

"What the hell does it mean, Bobby?"

"It opens the path to Satan himself" he sat forward in his seat "Look, you understand that when you die, you go either three ways…up, down or somewhere in the middle while you sort yourself out…"

"Purgatory" said Zeke.

"That's one word for it. There's a belief that before you go either way, you're shown a path…a pathway to 'Heaven' …" he looked at Sam "you make one Zeppelin remark I'll kick your ass"

Sam gave a small smile "That's more Dean's domain"

"You said that in the singular, Bobby"

He nodded "Most of the time it is…unless the _'Seal of the Left Hand Path' _is opened, then you're shown _both _paths. Now that's some dangerous mojo, cause while the path upstairs deals only with the soul, the path _downstairs _takes you completely, body _and _soul"

"So the _'left hand path' _isn't always shown?" asked Sam.

"From my understanding, no. And it's not just limited to the dead either. Seems the big guy downstairs is selective…but there could be other things in place…shit, look I don't completely understand how the whole up or down thing works…but if your friend is missing, his _body _is missing…he's taken the left hand path"

Zeke shook his head "No, no way. Lucas isn't like that, he'd _never _go to Hell, especially after what happened to me"

"Listen carefully, son. He didn't just skip merrily down a garden path, he was _tempted _down one, he was shown something, something was promised to him to make him _choose _that path. The Lucas you know is dead, the one that's in Hell is his shell but he has all his memories and once they figure out his link to you four then who do you think they're gonna send after you?"

"And if Dean and Jay are having the headaches…" started Sam.

"Then the pathway is already open and you boys need to find them before Lucas does"

------------------------------

_He crept slowly out of the depths of Hell; he had a mission now. He was beginning his service to his 'Master', he had purpose again, he was doing what he was born to do…he was back on the hunt._

_**To be continued…**_


	9. Searching for Two

(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Nine.**

_And the winged-ones stood, their heads bowed to their creator, a deep sadness filling them as they watched the internal struggles of those they were sworn to guide, to protect. They wept at the loss of those that had lost the struggle and they begged for forgiveness for their failings._

_They understood that the time had come; the time when all mankind would be put to the ultimate test and those charged with gathering the warriors stepped forward. They knelt before the Father, admitting their failings, confessing their sins and asking for His guidance, His blessing for their duty. _

_The Holy Warriors were filled with a blinding light of awareness, a deep sense of love, compassion and hope for the future of His children. And they felt His tears as He wept at the plight of those that had chosen to follow the path to darkness, for His lost children and He charged __**one**__ with finding __**two; **two __that would be instrumental in 'the others' plans. Two that were at a crossroads; two that had a meagre understanding of what was beginning; but two, that should they be lost, would bring about an undoing that would echo an eternity._

_The Angel rose from his position, he would not question the command but the thought was received, given a voice by its very existence. The benevolent smile was his answer and he turned, his step, the first of many in a journey that would bring about the Battle for Mankind._

---------------------------

Dean and Jay woke suddenly, reaching instinctively for the other, the same question running through both their minds _'What the __**hell **__kind of dream was that?'_ And was 'dream' even the right word? It had seemed so _real_. So maybe it wasn't a dream at all but a vision…a vision of what was happening to them. That seemed the most likely as the indecision and confusion had followed them out of the dream and into their reality... and it scared the crap out of them.

Dean sat up, rubbing his hands through his hair, sending it in all directions "I just had the…" he shook his head as Jay sat up next to him.

"Dream? Us on horses in the middle of an upcoming battle?" asked Jay, even though she knew the answer to the question.

Dean nodded "We're in some serious shit" he turned to her and smiled, he'd found her "You been listening to my messages?" she nodded "And what did I say I was gonna do to you when I found you?"

"Kick my '_ass'"_ she smiled "although, technically, you didn't _find _me…I called you" she looked down at her chest, she was a mess "Fucking hell…" she put her fingers to the new scars "Lovely"

He put his arms around her "You know…the scars are kinda sexy" he grinned.

She smiled "But you're insane, it doesn't count"

"Insane am I?" he pushed her back on the bed, kissing her. She bit his bottom lip and when he felt her fingernails dig into his back, he felt something open inside him. He moaned "More" and he moaned loudly as she did it again "Harder" he whispered and he cried out in pleasure as he felt her draw blood; he didn't feel the change come over him as he reached down beside the bed and pulled his dagger from his boot. He pulled away from her, a dark light shining in his eyes as he whispered "We heal" he passed her the dagger "We heal"

She smiled as she took the dagger from him, the light in her eyes, matching his "We heal"

-----------------

Bobby had forced Sam and Zeke to rest til morning before they continued their search for Dean and Jay. He was worried, hell…_everyone_ on the freakin' planet should be worried, but he understood that hunters were being collected to lead an army, the _dark one's _army. An army against their own kind and hunters had a greater understanding of what was at stake and if they had turned, then their knowledge was a _huge _asset. And Bobby _knew _what Dean was capable of and if he went to the other side then they were gonna be in for a hell of an ass-kicking. They had to get to Dean and Jay before they were turned, before Lucas got to them…and if they were too late…then... he hated to think about it…but there was only once choice left. Find them…then either save them or kill them.

--------------

Bobby woke Sam and Zeke at 8am and they started searching. Newspapers, television reports…anything that would give them a clue as to where Dean and Jay were, but searching through an unending torrent of destruction and despair was taking a toll on the three of them…still, they kept going. They were on the clock and time was ticking down …and 'zero-hour' was creeping ever closer.

Sam was on his umpteenth cup of coffee, his eyes were so dry and sore from scanning the internet that he almost missed it. He sat up straighter, rubbed at his eyes and read the news report again "Here…I think I may have found them"

Zeke and Bobby looked up from the searchings, hoping against all hope that Sam was right, the task of sifting through everything was mentally exhausting.

"It says the body of a local priest was found…" he looked at his watch "about an hour ago…murdered in his church…"

"Sam, that's happening all over the place. Seems the parishioners ain't all that happy with their link to the big guy upstairs and are takin' it personal" said Bobby.

"Yeah? Well this dude had a 'collection' of his parishioners stashed in one of the back rooms"

"Okaaay, well that's just damn creepy" said Zeke "I got this whole 'gathering of the flock' thing happening and I don't think that's what the parishioners had in mind"

"No shit. Looks like he really went to town on them, ritualistic …sacrificial…but the cops are looking for another victim…seems there was a heap of blood at the front of the church but no body…and they believe there should be"

_"Could_ be Jay…" mused Bobby.

"Pretty sure it is, cause there's a witness says they saw 'an old black car' speed away from the church. No numberplates and couldn't give a description but said the car sounded 'like thunder'"

"It's them" said Zeke.

"Shit" said Sam.

"What? What?" he asked Sam urgently.

Sam looked up at Zeke "They were an _hour _from us! A fucking _hour!_ Three freakin' towns over!"

"Go" said Bobby "You find them and you bring them back here" they got up and headed towards the front door "You watch out, Lucas is out there, I guarantee it…if you find him, you kill him" he looked at Zeke "there's no other way"

Zeke nodded "I know" he shook Bobby's hand "Thanks"

"Welcome. Now go. Sam" Sam turned back to Bobby as Zeke went to the car "You _find _Dean"

"I will"

"Sam, listen to me. If Dean's gone over…"

"He hasn't…I know it, Bobby. And I _won't _kill him. He's my brother" he looked at the car "And Jay is Zeke's sister. They saved _us_ last time…it's our turn to save them" he clapped Bobby on the shoulder, jogged down the porch steps, got into the Chevy and roared off in search of his brother.

----------------------

Jay made the first cut and smiled as she heard the pleasure it bought Dean. She handed him the dagger and he grinned at her, cutting her and smiling as she moaned in return. She looked up and was distracted by something swinging just out o her line of vision, she focussed and saw the necklace, the necklace she'd given Dean, she stopped…she was transfixed…and something stirred in her memory.

"Don't stop…" whispered Dean urgently.

She shook her head "Dean…Dean…this…no…" she grabbed at the dagger "No…not right…"

He looked into her eyes and slowly frowned, he shook his head and looked at her, _really _looked at her "You're bleeding" he looked at his hand, saw the dagger and threw it aside "Jesus!" he looked at the cut to her shoulder "I'm sorry…Jesus…I'm sorry" he pulled her to him.

She put her arms around him "It's alright…" she frowned and pulled her hands up, they were covered in blood "My God…you're hurt" Dean rolled off her and sat up as Jay checked his back "Jesus….Dean…I'm so sorry"

"What the _fuck _is going on?!"

"I don't know…I don't know…"

He got out of bed and took her hand "Come on, let's clean up and try and figure this out. Come on" and he led her towards the bathroom, unwilling to admit he was just as scared as she looked.

By the time they'd finished showering, the wounds were closed, they were an angry red and within half an hour they would be nothing more than a silvery scar. They dried themselves and went back to the room; Dean threw his jeans on and went and got their bags from the Impala.

He came back in with both bags over his shoulder and his phone in his hand "I gotta ring Sammy, he's left like a dozen messages"

"You can't" said Jay as she took jeans and a t-shirt from her bag and dressed. She grabbed her journal and sat on the bed "Sit" he sat next to her as she opened the book.

"This yours?" he asked and she nodded "You a big bad hunter now, huh?" he grinned at her.

She laughed "Shut up. Zeke wanted his back" she flicked to the middle of the journal "I think I know what's going on…maybe"

He laughed "Sounds promising"

"Again with the shut up" she kissed him softly "I've missed you"

He grinned "Course you have. I'm a stud"

"Uh huh. So I heard" she smiled.

"Jay…she…" he stammered.

"You don't need to explain it to me, Dean" she kissed him again "Now listen…I was with a friend of mine a couple of weeks ago, a banishing…it went to shit…"

"Lucas"

She nodded "Is Zeke alright?"

"Jay…"

She shook her head "I know…Lucas must've been…terrible…but I _had _run…"

"No, Jay. He wasn't there"

Her eyes widened "_What?" _

"We found this diagram, carved into the floor…there was this symbol carved into it that kinda freaked Zeke out…" he frowned "what did he call it?" he thought back on it and shook his head "something about a left path?"

"_The Seal of the Left Hand Path?_ Please tell me it's not that"

Dean nodded as he watched her visibly pale "Zeke didn't know what it meant…looks like _you _do"

She nodded as tears welled in her eyes "Lucas…" she looked at Dean "He's sold his soul…traded it"

"You sure?"

She nodded "His body wasn't there?" Dean shook his head "They've got him…well he's _working _for them now"

"But he's a hunter?"

"Doesn't matter" said Jay.

"This is …shit" he rubbed at his temples, stood and went to his bag, getting out the aspirin.

Jay frowned "Headaches?" He nodded as he popped a couple of tablets into his mouth "Been getting them …"

"Same as you…about six months"

She looked up from the bed "Oh Dean…we are _seriously_ screwed"

---------------------------

Sam and Zeke stood outside the Church watching the coming's and going's of the few police that, by the look of them, had absolutely no idea what they were doing.

Sam turned to Zeke "You still got that CDC I.D.?" Zeke nodded "Alright, we need to get in and get a look around…we might find something…anything that'll point us in the right direction"

"They wouldn't have left anything, Sam"

"If Jay was hurt, Dean wouldn't be thinking straight…he may…let's just go"

They retrieved the I.D.'s from the Bel Air and walked purposefully towards the front of the Church, slipping under the police tape and heading towards the cop standing guard at the Church door.

Sam flashed his I.D. at the cop "CDC. We're here to check the facility for signs of contamination"

"Contamination?" asked the cop "Whady'a mean?"

Zeke stepped closer to the cop, putting himself in the man's personal space and using the fact that he stood eight inches taller than him, to his advantage "Tell me, what do you think happens to a body if it's left without proper refrigeration?" the cop said nothing "Don't have an answer? Let me explain…first of all there's the blood, slowly leaking out of the bodies…after rigor fades, the bodily fluids that have built up inside, force the corpse to start to bloat. Now the skin can only handle so much ..._stretch_... before it begins to slowly split open and leak its contents over anything near it. Now I'm guessing the things _near_ it are _other _bodies, so now we have a collection of bodily fluids, mixing together with anything the bowel has decided to let free. That's quite a cocktail we've got mixing….and lets not forget the flies…laying their eggs" he smiled at the pale man "you know the body is the perfect breeding ground for larvae…they have a ready food supply…."

The cop opened the church door "Go in…they were….in back…"

They smiled, nodded at the cop and walked into the Church, the door slamming shut behind them. Sam turned to Zeke "Very descriptive, dude"

Zeke nodded "He won't be eating for a while"

Sam shook his head "Neither will I"

They pulled their jackets around them as they walked towards the church aisle, it was _cold_ in here. Zeke placed his fingers into the receptacle and performed the '_signum crucis'_.

Sam looked at him "Didn't know you were religious"

Zeke smiled "You sound surprised"

"Yeah…" he laughed softly "Don't ask me why…but you grew up in a catholic orphanage right?"

Zeke nodded as they made their way up the aisle, their eyes taking in everything around them "But…" he shrugged "my faith came to me after I left the orphanage"

Sam let it go, he was learning to read Zeke a lot more now, subtle nuances that told you when you could push something and when you had to let it go. They got to the front of the church and found the blood spattered pew and the pool of blood underneath it.

"It has to be Jay" said Zeke "there's too much here for someone to have survived this amount of blood loss" he stood up, turned and looked up at 'The Cross' "This doesn't make any sense"

Sam stood next to him "What do you mean?"

"Jay wouldn't come to a church, especially a catholic one"

"She doesn't believe?" asked Sam.

"Not sure what she believes but she doesn't have fond …associations with the church" he turned to Sam "lets check out the vestry"

They walked quietly towards the back room, Sam noticing how Zeke bowed his head as they walked past 'The Cross'. Sam smiled, Zeke's faith seemed at odds with the huge man in front of him. They got to the door, pulled the police tape down and Zeke pushed the door open; the smell hit them immediately and they put their hands over their mouths and noses and walked into the room. Zeke stopped suddenly and Sam ran into him

"Zeke, what…" Sam turned and followed Zeke's gaze "What the _hell?"_

-------------

Dean tossed Jay the aspirin pack, if he had a headache, so did she "What do you mean we're seriously screwed" he grinned "Although…"

She caught the pack "Ta' she smiled "and ta" she popped a couple of aspirin, threw her journal into her bag and slipped her boots on "We gotta get moving. Lucas'll be coming after us"

"Seriously?" asked Dean as he grabbed his bag.

Jay nodded "They'll know his link to us…well to me and Zeke and ours to you and Sam. After what happened a year ago…"

Dean grinned "How pissed at us are they?"

"Not 'they', Dean. _Him"_

"Lucas?"

Jay rolled her eyes "Seriously?"

"You mean…" Jay nodded "Okay…"

"Come on, babe…Dean…" she went to walk past him and he grabbed her arm.

He laughed "Did you just call me 'babe'?"

"No" and she pushed past him.

"Yeah, you did"

"No, I didn't"

He laughed again "Yes you did"

"Nope"

He grinned "Yep"

She shook her head "Na-ah"

Dean nodded "Uh huh"

Jay shook her head, opened the door and stopped dead.

Dean was too busy laughing to notice and ran into the back of her "Jay…what…" he looked over her shoulder "What the _hell?"_

_**To be continued…**_


	10. A Realm of Possibilities

(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Ten.**

Dean stared at the scene laid out in front of him and put his arm around Jay, pulling her back into the room and stepping in front of her. They both dropped their bags and Jay stepped next to Dean, her arm going round his waist, his around her shoulders as they stood in the motel doorway and stared out.

The parking lot was gone, _everything _was gone. They were staring at an endless desert…an endless _grey _desert. There were no sand-dunes, no mountains...there wasn't even a horizon; it was an open expanse of …_nothingness._ They watched as the grains of sand started to move across the desolate plains; lifted into the air, borne on an unfelt wind. The sands started to move frenziedly, as distant howls started to filter across the landscape. Dean pulled Jay against him and she held tight to him, they didn't say anything, they _couldn't _say anything, there were no words to describe what they were seeing, what they were feeling.

The howls increased in volume as they moved across the desert, there was no echo, there was _nothing _for the sound to bounce off; and the closer the howls got, they realised they weren't howls at all but screams; screams of pain, anguish, desperation, suffering …madness. Each one carried with it the abject misery of its owner, a soul-wrenching plea for mercy. It reached its crescendo as it got to Dean and Jay, the sands now whipping into large funnels that circled angrily towards a swirling mass of darkened clouds that seemed to beat the sands back into submission, forcing them down to their rightful place.

Dean and Jay tightened their arms around each other as the wails carried past them and continued their journey, the sands starting to slowly settle back into the bleak surroundings, finally falling still as the last of the cries died away... and they were left with the silence; a silence so loud it held a voice all its own.

Jay closed her eyes and buried her head in Dean's chest, his arms tightening around her; she didn't want to see this…she didn't want to _be _here and she didn't want _Dean _here either. Dean held Jay to him and closed his eyes, resting his cheek on the top of her head, he couldn't look at this, he didn't want to _be _in this place and he didn't want _Jay _here.

They didn't know how long they stood like that, holding each other, trying to shut out what they'd felt and seen and trying to will everything back to the way it was; when they heard the howls begin again. It was coming full circle…_these _were the winds that carried through this place. Pain and suffering was the music that was played here and it made the sands dance to its rhythm.

Dean and Jay opened their eyes as the sands started to whip around their legs…the motel was gone and they stood in the expanse of nothingness…totally and utterly alone.

---------------

Zeke and Sam stood staring, neither of them able to speak. The vestry was no longer; instead they were standing in an expanse of nothingness…nothingness that was filled with an enormity of _everything. _ An all encompassing feeling of peace surrounded them and their senses were assaulted with long forgotten smells that took them back to places that held wonderful memories for each of them.

For Sam it was the smell of fresh grass. He was eight and Dean twelve, when Dean had made him ditch bow-hunting practice and taken him to a field that had a large creek running through it. It had rained the night before and the fresh smell of the grass was like a drug, the sound of running water, calming and the sound of his brother's laughter, music to his ears. They'd spent hours and hours just mucking around, being little boys…the little boys they were never allowed to be. They'd swum in the creek, wrestled with each other on the damp grass, climbed the large tree whose branches stretched over the creek and dared each other to take the plunge before holding each others hands and jumping out of the tree together. And when Sam had finally told Dean that he was hungry, Dean had grinned at him and gone behind a tree and bought out sandwiches and a couple of cokes …and he realised that Dean had done this for_ him_ and he'd never loved his brother more than in that moment.

For Zeke it was the smell of rain. He was nine and Jay six; he was out in the quadrangle at the orphanage, weeding the gardens, shivering as the rain pelted down. He didn't mind, he liked being outside, regardless the weather, and it had saved Jay from another whipping, so he was happy to take the punishment. His hands would heal eventually and the constant rain made sure the open welts kept the wounds clean. He had turned when he felt a tug at his shirt and Jay was standing behind him; she was soaked through, her hair plastered to her little face; she had reached into her pocket and removed a band-aid, taken his hand and applied it carefully, then done the same with his other hand. He'd smiled at her, the band-aids were never going to stay on and they didn't cover his welts but she had smiled at him, pure love on her face and got down on her knees and started to pull out the weeds…and the flowers as well. He didn't stop her, he knew he'd get into trouble again but he didn't care, he was with his sister and he knew she loved him.

They were taken from their memories and found themselves standing in a snow-covered field, snow-flakes falling lightly around them. They turned to each other, confusion lightly touching their features. They turned round trying to figure out where they were but they could see nothing but snow…they turned again and looked into a set of piercing blue eyes. Zeke was the first to realise what was happening and he got down on one knee and lowered his head. Sam watched him, then looked into the eyes again, smiled, and did the same.

"Rise"

They stood, keeping their heads bowed.

"Your eyes as well"

They lifted their faces to the man…he was smiling warmly at them and they grinned in return.

"Do you understand what is happening?"

They nodded, unable to stop smiling.

"There is much to do. Much for which you must prepare" he smiled "I am here to help you with that"

"We…we're looking for our brother and sister…I mean, _my _brother and his sister" said Sam softly.

"They are being sought. You must concentrate on your own preparations now"

"They need us" said Zeke softly.

The man smiled "They have one that will guide them. _I _will guide you. The Battle looms and you must be prepared; you and the others that have been chosen"

"The Apocalypse" said Sam.

The man nodded "Time is of the essence" he smiled and the snow started to ease and then slowly fade, drawing in on itself before disappearing altogether and they found themselves back in the vestry; the man….the _Angel _standing before them.

Sam studied him, he was about Zeke's height, light brown hair, worn to the shoulders, piercing blue eyes and …beautiful…there was no other way to describe him. He was wearing faded denim jeans, white t-shirt with a tattered green shirt, brown leather jacket and boots. He smiled, his and Dean's standard uniform.

Sam stuck his hand out "Sam Winchester. This is Zeke Thomas" and Sam laughed self-consciously as he realised the Angel would have known _exactly _who they were.

The Angel shook their hands and smiled at them "Raphael"

-------------

Dean and Jay looked around them, turning in circles, not letting go of each other; they were all they had now. They had no weapons, nothing to defend themselves and there was _no where _to hide.

Dean squeezed Jay's hand and whispered "We'll be okay"

Jay looked at him and whispered "Dean, we're anything _but _okay"

He grinned at her "Just seemed like the right thing to say" he looked around "We are _so _screwed"

"And then some" she shivered involuntarily "This is worse than bad, Dean…I mean…God…"

"There is no God here"

They turned to the voice, a man was standing behind them; tall, well-built, red-blonde hair, piercing blue eyes and light stubble covering his face.

"There is no God here" he said again.

"No shit, dude. There's _nothing _here" said Dean.

"How'd you get here?" asked Jay.

"I was the one that bought you here" he said.

"Why the fuck would you do that?" asked Dean angrily as he pushed Jay behind him "And who the hell are you anyway?"

"I bought you here to show you what would happen to you should you make the wrong choice"

"Choice?" asked Jay.

"Yes. A battle is coming, you must decided…_choose_ which side you wish to fight"

"The dream" said Dean.

The man nodded "I cannot force you to choose the side for which I wish you to fight but you were shown by another, shown a promise of what they would give you should you choose to fight on _that _side" he smiled "I am allowed to show you something as well" he looked around the landscape "I cannot give you promises of happiness, a life fulfilled…that is something you must find within yourselves. I chose to show you this…"

"Is this where we'd go if…we went down the left-hand path?" asked Jay.

He shook his head "No, this isn't Hell" he looked into their eyes "This is _your _realm. This is what would become of your home should the battle be lost. Those that survived would call this home"

He watched them as they looked around again, turning left and right, their hands holding tight to each others.

"Understand that you have free-will. Should you choose to fight for the other, I will return you, unharmed, to your room and you can make your way to him" he smiled "And I will see you on the battlefield"

"We don't want to fight for _him" _said Dean "We want to kill the bastard"

He nodded at Dean then looked at Jay.

"What Dean said"

"This is _your _decision? Made without my influence?" he asked.

"Damn straight, dude"

He smiled warmly at them "It is a good choice"

"No shit" said Jay "This place sucks out loud"

He laughed "That it does"

They watched as the sands started to recede, crawling back into the nothingness that was their world and within moments they were back in the motel room, the man standing before them. Dean pulled Jay over to the door and opened it. The motel parking lot was there, everything was they way it was.

"Everything's still here" said Jay with a smile

Dean grinned when he saw the Impala parked out front "My baby's still here" he leaned down and kissed Jay "Talk about dodging a bullet"

They turned back to the man "Thanks for that" said Jay.

He smiled "You're welcome"

Dean shut the door and turned to the man "Are you what I think you are?" he nodded and Dean grinned "So Sammy was right" and the Angel nodded again. Dean stuck out his hand "Dean Winchester and Jay Thomas"

"Dean, I think he knows who we are" said Jay with a smile.

The Angel nodded and shook their hands as he smiled "Gabriel"

----------------------

Dean and Jay sat on the bed as Gabriel took a seat at the table.

"So we're in some serious shit then" said Dean "Jay was right about the whole 'Armageddon' thing"

Gabriel laughed softly "'_Armageddon thing'_, that's one way of putting it. And yes, you are in some serious …shit"

Dean grinned "That's alright, dude. That's our comfort zone"

"So we have seen" he smiled "Your trip to the depths was ill-advised but your survival, and that of your brothers, bought much joy"

"So the Big Boss was happy?" asked Dean.

Gabriel nodded "He doesn't like to lose His children to _the other'_

"So what do we do now?" asked Jay "I mean we need to get in touch with Zeke and Sam, let them know what's going on"

"They are being looked after by another. They will prepare for battle in the traditional way" he smiled "You two …in another"

"Ooookaaay" said Dean "What _exactly _do you mean by that?"

He smiled "You will fight the battle from the other side"

"Aaah, Gabe…" Dean looked at the Angel "I can call you Gabe, right?" Gabriel laughed and nodded "Awesome. Now didn't we just tell you we wanted to fight on _your _side?"

He nodded "But we are at _War_, Dean" he smiled "And every war needs its spies"

Dean grinned "I think I like you, Gabe"

Gabriel laughed "Glad to hear it, Dean. Because I'm about to send you and Jay back to Hell"

_**To be continued…**_


	11. An Insight into Battle

(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Eleven.**

Jay stared at Gabriel in disbelief "Aaah, I hate to point this out but…umm…we're not all that popular with _them _at the moment. What with that whole fu…scre…umm…" she stammered.

Dean grinned "I think what she's trying to say is they're _real _pissed at us. Jay especially"

Gabriel smiled at them "I understand that but the pathway has already been opened to you, so we're going to make them believe that you've chosen it" Jay put her hand up and Gabriel laughed softly "Just speak, Jay"

She grinned self-consciously "Okay…obviously you have a better understanding of this than I do…what with the whole 'Angel' thing…but from what _I _understand we have to actually _choose _the path to gain access and once we do that…" she trailed off.

Gabriel sat forward in his chair, his hands held together between his knees "You _are _going to choose the path"

"Fuck that!" said Dean "I mean…stuff that" he shook his head and muttered "This whole not swearing is gonna be a pain in the ass"

Gabriel laughed "Dean, Jay you _do _understand the whole concept of omnipotence right?" they nodded.

"But that's just the Big Dude, right?" asked Dean.

Gabriel nodded "But I've been watching you two for a while now"

"Good lord…" muttered Jay.

Dean elbowed Jay "Be proud, Jay" he grinned "I am" Jay leaned over and whispered in Dean's ear "Oh, yeah" he looked at Gabriel "That whole thing with the dagger…ummm…"

"That is SO not us" said Jay.

Gabriel smiled "I understand. You both took a tentative step down the left-hand path…"

"Shit"

"Yes, not good" said Gabriel.

"So, Gabriel…tell me, how the hell are we gonna go down the left-hand path without turning into complete deviants?" asked Jay. Dean grinned, leaned over and whispered in Jay's ear. She turned to him "I said _complete_, Dean" she laughed softly "And stop it"

"You don't mean that…" he grinned and she elbowed him again and pointed at Gabriel "Oh, yeah…so…how then?"

Gabriel smiled at the two of them "You'll have protection. You'll be able to travel the path without being corrupted but by all intents and purposes you will have been"

"Won't they see that? Sense it?" asked Jay.

"And how do you know _they _don't know you've been to see us?" he frowned "Yeah, that made sense"

"They don't, trust me. But there is one coming for you, to lead you to him"

"Lucas" said Jay.

Gabriel nodded "He will guide you but you listen to me. Your temptation, the promise _'the dark one' _will make to you must involve no-one else but each other. You will need to stick together and I mean _stick_, you do _not _let the other one out of your sight and you make sure that they're aware of this"

"I really don't think we'll be a position to make demands" said Jay.

Gabriel looked at them, confusion touching his features briefly "Of course you are"

"Seriously?" asked Dean.

Gabriel looked at them, they had no idea "Yes. Have you not yet figured it out?"

"Figured _what _out?" asked Jay.

"That you two…and Sam and Zeke…are the _key _to all of this"

--------------------

Raphael smiled at the two men "Time to get to work" he walked out of the vestry, Sam and Zeke following him. He knelt in front of The Cross, gave a short prayer, performed the _'signum crucis'_ and rose. Zeke and Sam did the same, not because Raphael was there but because they wanted to ask for help for Jay and Dean. Raphael heard their prayers and smiled, they understood what prayer was all about, not for yourself but for others. These two were already on the right path.

They walked down the church aisle and Zeke stopped at the first pew "Raphael"

He turned "Yes, Zeke?"

"Jay…"

He smiled "She survived, Zeke"

"Yeah, I get that. But she…killed a priest"

Raphael shook his head "He wore the robes, he was no longer a man of God"

"She still killed a man…in God's house"

"She fought for her life. You all do that" he looked around "This is a _Church, _Zeke, it's not God's _house._ I know you are worried for her soul but hers is one of _many _that is in peril right now" he smiled "Come on"

Sam put his hand on Zeke's shoulder "They're gonna be alright, Zeke. They've got an Angel with them…I mean, what could possibly go wrong?" he grinned "It's not like he'd send them to Hell or anything right?"

-----------------------

Jay and Dean stared at the Angel, then looked at each other, back to the Angel, then back to each other again.

"Alright, dude…you gotta be a little more specific than that"

"Of course. First off, you've been getting headaches" they both nodded "they're not headaches, it's a _summoning _and you two aren't the only hunters that have been getting them. So far, eleven hunters have gone over…"

"Lucas wasn't getting the headaches" said Jay.

"Lucas is a different story. Let me finish. _'The dark one' _has been targeting hunters because of you have the skills most people don't and you have the knowledge of the other hunters, their capabilities and their weaknesses. They're _his _weapon against _our _army. You need to understand that hunters have _always _been the ones destined to fight in the _'Apocalypse'. _What you all do now, although important, invaluable work is more or less practice"

"So we've been in…_training _for this?" Jay asked and Gabriel nodded "But I'm a more a 'banisher' than a hunter…I mean, I don't actively go out and hunt poltergeists, spirits and other nasties…I kinda specialise in demon destruction. It's a little different"

Gabriel smiled "You use a sword?"

She nodded "But I'm not _anywhere _near as good as Zeke, Dean or Sam. I mean, I can protect myself but…"she shook her head "That's why Zeke or Lucas was always with me"

"Jay, you'll be fine. And you have an advantage" he smiled "You've already used your _'mojo'_, as you like to call it, in Hell. You can use it again without consequence and _'the dark one' _knows this. That's why he wants you" he looked at Dean "and you, Dean"

"I'm not a banisher, Gabe"

"No" he smiled "But he sees in you what you fail to acknowledge"

"Does he? And what would that be?"

"A darkness. A part of you, deep down inside that is capable of turning completely to him if pushed in the right direction. You are a _powerful _hunter, Dean. A powerful _man. _You were chosen to guard your brother for a reason. Sam isn't the only one that is vulnerable to the demons, Dean" he smiled "Sam has more of a conscience though"

"Yeah, I kinda see that...conscience thing, I mean...but..." he looked at Jay and laughed "I'm gonna be doing _a lot _of guarding, cause she'll be 'banishing' her ass off…do you _know _how many demons there are down there?"

"She won't be 'banishing', Dean" he turned to Jay "Tell him what you can do"

"I'm not allowed" she said.

"What?" asked Dean.

"I can't tell you" she stated firmly.

"Jay, now really isn't the time to be going all _'secret service' _on my ass"

She looked at Gabriel "You know the oath I took. If I tell, I can't pass it along and the 'banishers' die out"

Gabriel smiled "Jay, who am I?"

"An Angel"

"An _Arc-_Angel. I'm pretty high up on the ladder, so if I say it's alright to tell, then it's alright to tell. You won't be breaking your oath"

"You sure?"

"Jesus Christ, Jay! He's a goddamn Angel! Listen to him!"

Jay stared at Dean opened mouthed "Aaah, Dean…" she motioned her head towards Gabriel "You just dropped _'the big blasphemy'"_

"Fucking hell…sorry, Gabe. No offence intended to the Big Boss and His son" he grinned sheepishly.

Gabriel shook his head with a smile "The swearing I can handle, Dean…the _'big blasphemies'?_ Not so much" his eyes blazed a brilliant blue for an instant and they saw the power held within them.

Dean nodded "Sorry, dude" he turned to Jay "Well?"

"Shit…okay. Remember how, back in Hell when you were trying to take me through the Gates and I drew that big scary line in the sand?"

Dean nodded "The one that killed 'em if they tried to cross it. Yeah, I remember"

"Yeah, well…I can kinda do a little more than that" she said.

"Will you just _tell _me" he said with exasperation.

"Show him, Jay"

She sighed and stood, turning to face Dean "Okay, you just have to understand that this is a safety thing, I've only ever used it once before, it's not something you just do, like a party trick or anything, We, I mean banishers, only use it when we have no other means of escape okay?"

"Ooookaaaay…" said Dean. He looked at her "You're not gonna shoot yourself again are you?"

She laughed softly "Noooo" she sighed "Just watch okay? And don't freak out"

He laughed "Okay, so I'm gonna freak out…but go on"

She nodded, closed her eyes and whispered quietly in the language he'd heard when he'd seen her complete the 'banishing' for Sam; he watched as her form started to shimmer, the same way heat does as it rises off the bitumen and he stared open mouthed as he looked at his brother.

"FUCK ME!" he jumped up off the bed.

"Calm down, Dean" said Jay…or rather Sam. She looked like Sam and she sounded like him.

"Calm down? Are you fucking serious?" He watched as 'Sam' closed his eyes, whispered, shimmered and Jay was standing in front of him again.

"Okay, I know you're like super-freaked out….but…"

"How the _fuck _can you _do _that?" he asked.

"It's a defence mechanism…kinda. It was set up a long time ago, when 'banishers' were hunted almost to the brink of extinction. It keeps us safe when we're being hunted"

"So, what you look like now…the Jay Thomas _I _know…is that what you've always looked like? Or were you someone else?"

"No, I've always looked like this. That was just a …mask. And like I said, I've only ever used it once, when a demon was after me. They don't know we can do that, he thought he lost me in a crowd"

"Je…I mean, shit" said Dean as he started to pace "Why didn't you tell me you could do this?"

"I'm not allowed to tell _anyone_. If I do, without Angel permission of course, I can't pass on my knowledge to the next 'banisher', the one that'll replace me eventually"

"This is seriously messing with my head"

"Well get used to it, Dean. That's your secret weapon and Jay is going to teach you how to do it"

"_What?" _Dean and Jay said in unison.

Gabriel laughed "Jay is going to teach you how to be a 'banisher', Dean. And you two are going to bring down '_the dark one's' _army from the inside"

----------------

Zeke, Sam and Raphael walked out of the Church and into the sunshine. The cop was still there, still pale and now had a nervous twitch. He looked and Zeke and Sam "You two …umm…get…find…is it all okay in there?" he stammered.

Zeke nodded "Seems everything has been contained, the contamination was minimal"

The relief on the cops face was almost comical "Thank God for that! I was _in _there" he shuddered then looked at them "Well you two have a good day then"

Zeke and Sam nodded and headed towards the Chevy.

"Before you ask, he couldn't see me" said Raphael.

"Why not?" asked Sam.

"He has no need to" and he got into the backseat of the car and rested his arms across the back rest.

Zeke got into the car and turned to him "So where to?"

Raphael smiled "California"

"Can you be a little more specific?" asked Sam as he seated himself next to Zeke.

"Death Valley" said Raphael with a smile.

Sam laughed "You gotta be shitting me?"

Raphael shook his head with a smile "No, Sam. Death Valley is the battleground"

Zeke started the car and the engine roared to life. He pushed his foot down and the Chevy shot away from the church "I thought Armageddon was in Israel?"

"Armageddon is a _battle_, not a place. And the countdown has already begun. You'll be give the tools and the means to fight this battle but the outcome depends on you"

"Us?" asked Zeke.

Raphael nodded "You two and Jay and Dean have a special insight. You've been to Hell and you've survived it, relatively unscathed. And _you _two, _know _how demons think" he turned to Sam "You've had a powerful demon inside you, Sam. A demon that was high up in the Infernal Army, you know how they battle, how they move their army" he looked at Zeke "And you, Zeke…well, how many minds of demons have you been in?"

Zeke laughed softly "Too many"

"So you have an advantage. You understand how they think and you know how they battle. You use _that _knowledge when you lead your army. Now push your foot to the floor, Zeke; time is of the essence"

"Can't you like…transport us?" asked Sam, he shook his head and muttered "I sound like Dean"

Raphael laughed "And miss out on a ride in this car? Not likely"

Sam turned in his seat "So what exactly are we going to do…apart from the battle, I mean"

"I'm taking you to meet your army" he smiled at the two men "You two will lead God's army against _'the dark one's'_"

"Just us?" asked Zeke, he looked in his rear-view mirror at Raphael "Surely there are others more capable than we are?"

"Angels, for one" said Sam.

"We will be there. But the battle of Armageddon must also be fought by mankind. You two, and other hunters will lead that army" he sat forward and rested his arms on the seat in front of him "What all hunters have been doing is training for this moment. Now is the time to put that training into practice"

"And Jay and Dean? They'll be meeting us there?" asked Zeke.

"Yes, you will see them on the battlefield" said Raphael.

"Why don't I like the way you said that?" asked Sam.

"Because Jay and Dean will be fighting from the other side"

_**To be continued…**_


	12. Preparations for Battle

(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Twelve.**

Jay sat on the bed with her head in her hands "I don't _know _why!"

"What about now?" asked Dean.

She looked up "Still Dean"

"Now?"

She sighed "Dean"

Dean closed his eyes and concentrated "Now?"

"Dean"

"Fucking hell!" he started to pace "Why can't I morph into someone else? You can damn well do it!"

Jay sighed "I'm _not _morphing into someone else Dean, I _explained_ that. I'm just changing your _perception _of who I am"

"Show me again…this time morph into …"

"No. It's not a freakin' party trick, Dean!" she stood up and sighed with exasperation "Have you listened to _anything_ I've said to you?"

He sighed with the same exasperation "Yes! We've been doing this for _two _freakin' days, Jay!" he glared at her "You made me take a damn test! I'm not a fucking twelve year old!"

"Do you have _any _understanding of what it is that I've taught you? What it is that you can do now? How fucking important it is? Or is this just a big joke, something you can show Sam when we catch up with them!" she stepped over to him "_Ooooh, lookit me Sammy, I can turn into the last chick I banged'_

"You do realise that's you don't you?!" he shook his head "Idiot"

"What did you say?" she asked angrily.

"You heard me"

"Yeah, I heard you" she said "Say it again"

Gabriel had been watching them with amusement but he sighed like they did and finally stepped between them "Alright, enough. You're both over-tired, it's been a long two days…I'll bring you some food then you rest for a few hours" he turned to Jay "He needs to learn how to do this…"

"I'm trying, he just doesn't _get _it" said Jay.

Gabriel smiled at her "A student is only as good as their teacher"

Jay looked at Dean as he grinned at her "I'll smack that right off you, Winchester"

"Ooooh, I'm _so _scared"

Gabriel looked between the two of them "There really is no middle ground for you two is there?" he shook his head "You _do _remember why it is we're doing this?" he looked at them "Yes, thought so. I'll be back in a little while with some food. Try not to kill each other…well, maim each other…" he threw his hands in the air "just _try _to get along" and he walked out the door, slamming it behind him.

"How 'bout that? An Angel with a temper" said Dean with a grin.

"Yeah, it's hilarious, Dean"

"What's _wrong _with you?"

"What's _wrong _with me? What's _wrong _with me? How screwed are we gonna be if you don't learn how to do this? And God knows when Lucas is gonna be showing up, you _need _to be able to _do _this before we leave!"

"Calm down…I'll get it….eventually. It's not that damn easy, you know! I had to learn a new freakin' language!"

She went and stood in front of him "You're _not_ an idiot, Dean! You _should _be able to do this!"

He stood toe to toe with her "Stop fucking yelling!" he yelled.

"I can't help it! You drive me _fucking _crazy!" she yelled back and he grinned at her "Aaarrggghh!"

She turned from him and he grabbed her and pushed her against the door, kissing her "I drive you crazy do I?" he kissed her again as he took her t-shirt off "Maybe I need a distraction…"

"Maybe?" she asked as she kissed him.

He grinned "Definitely…"

----------------

Sam, Zeke and Raphael were driving straight through to California; they slept in the car as they switched driving duties. In the end, Raphael had taken over, driving most of the way and letting Zeke and Sam catch up on as much sleep as they could; they were going to need it. He hadn't explained too much to them about what Dean and Jay were going to be doing, just the bare bones of it, which was enough to make the stammer uncontrollably before demanding to be taken to them. He hadn't listened to them of course, they were on a different path and this was the way things had to be.

He looked over at them; Zeke crashed in the back, Sam asleep in the passenger seat, his head lolling against the car's window. He understood their worry, he was worried as well, although his worry covered all of humanity; but these two were the ones he was charged with preparing and was going to make sure they were as ready as they could be. He knew they didn't believe that they were up to the task, but he saw in them what they couldn't. A strength born out of the need to do good, to set things right and a stubborn determinedness to make sure they didn't lose this battle.

They'd been chosen specifically, the four of them; their special gifts gave them an advantage over other hunters and their survival of Hell gave them a greater one. They were taking a mighty risk sending Jay and Dean to Hell but if they could accomplish what Gabriel said they could and if he could get Sam and Zeke to agree to his plan…then mankind had a better chance of survival. He knew who _'the dark one' _was sending after the Angels, they _all _knew and without the help of _'the chosen ones' _, God's Army would be unable to stop all the demons.

But this War was always destined to be fought by Angels and Man and he had two that were instrumental for its success. He turned his attention back to the road and wondered how Gabriel was faring with Jay and Dean. He smiled to himself, he _knew _they would test Gabriel's patience and he just wished he could be there to see it. He hadn't had a good laugh in ages.

He saw the exit sign for Death Valley and increased his speed, they'd be there within the hour and then their preparations would begin in earnest.

--------------------------------

Gabe came back to the motel, his arms laden with food; he was starving and working with Dean and Jay was exhausting. He tried the door; it was locked, he turned the handle again "Jay! Dean! Open up!'

"In a …minute…" he heard Jay mutter, she sounded like she was just on the other side of the door.

"Now!" he said, catching a bag that almost slipped from his fingers.

"Just….wait…oh …god..…just ….wait…" he heard Dean stammer.

"Dean! Did you just blaspheme again?" he swore when he heard a string of blasphemy come from behind the door "Alright! I was being _nice _before…" he put his hand to the door-knob, his eyes blazing brilliantly and pushed the door forcefully open…and watched as Dean and Jay fell to the floor.

"You mind?" asked Dean, looking up from a tangle of limbs.

Gabriel rolled his eyes "I guess there really _is _a fine line between love and hate….I'll…umm…just wait outside…" he closed the door and laughed to himself.

"Get comfortable!" yelled Jay.

-----------

Gabriel was sitting on the hood of the Impala, drinking his second beer when Jay opened the door "It's safe" she grinned.

Gabriel slid off the car, grabbed the food and beer and walked into the motel room. Dean was sitting at the table, grinning "Food! I'm starved!" he got up and grabbed the bags from Gabriel while Jay took the beers.

"Didn't think Angels were allowed to drink?" asked Jay as she took a long swig of beer.

"Yeah, we're even allowed to eat as well when we're in this form" he laughed softly "I've also been to the bathroom"

"Okay too much information" she smiled "just don't know how all the Angel business works" she went and sat at the table with Dean "Share!" she grabbed one of the bags "Salad?" she looked at Gabriel "Are you serious?" she threw that bag on the table with disgust and tried to pull one of the bags out of Dean's hands.

Dean pulled the bags to him "Hey! You're a chick, you're _supposed _to eat salad…" he grinned "then throw it up"

"If you don't pass those fries over _now _Dean Winchester, I will force-feed you that salad…" she grinned at him "and it _ain't _going in your mouth" Dean reluctantly passed the fries over and held the other bag close

"Is there something with meat in that bag?" asked Jay, her eyes narrowing.

"No" said Dean, trying to close his mouth around the large bite he'd just taken.

"There is!" she grabbed at it, wrenching it from his hands and opened it. She breathed in deep then looked at Dean "You were gonna eat four burgers to yourself?"

He grinned and nodded "Watch me"

Jay reached into the bag and took out a burger "Go…oodness…me…that smells awesome"

Dean laughed "Nice save…you sounded like an idiot, but nice save"

She grinned and gave Dean the finger as she wolfed down her burger.

"Okay, while you're both suitably…gorging yourselves, lets go over this again" they nodded "I'll open the pathway for you, you two will need to select your…temptation, your promise …"

"How does this protection work?" asked Dean through a mouthful of food.

Gabriel smiled "It'll work, Dean. You and Jay will be safe from corruption; you've had a glimpse of what it's like, so you know how you need to act. You will have _no _conscience while you're there but you _stay _together no matter what" they nodded "Once the pathway is open, Lucas will know where you are and will arrive shortly after" he looked at Jay "How close are you two?"

She glanced at Dean and shrugged "Close"

"You banged him, didn't you?" he asked, frowning.

"Shut up and eat your burger" Dean muttered under his breath as he took another bite and Jay rolled her eyes "I've been pining away for _you_, Dean…been celibate the _whole _time" she took a bite of her burger and grinned at him.

"Bitch" he grinned back.

"Uh huh"

"Lovely" said Gabe "Now once you're back in Hell, there's little doubt you'll be taken to see…_him_…"

"You're _shitting _me?" said Dean.

Gabriel shook his head "This is THE big battle, Dean and you two are especially important to him so he'll deal with you personally"

"Fuck me…" said Dean "So…Satan?"

"The one and only. You'll need to be _very _careful when you're dealing with him..."

"No shit" said Jay.

"He isn't stupid and he's bound to test you"

"Test us how?" asked Jay, she grabbed a beer and tossed one to Dean and another to Gabriel.

"Thanks. It could be anything, he may make you watch some rather ...disturbing things, torture or something of the like, he may even ask you to participate…"

"Get the fuck outta here" said Jay.

Gabriel shook his head "He'll want to make sure you've truly crossed over"

"So we're gonna have to torture people?" asked Dean. He shook his head "Demons I got no problem torturing…but people? Dude, even _I _can't do that"

"Glad you have standards, Dean. But there aren't _people _down there…" started Gabriel.

"But they'll _look _like people…that's gonna be hard enough" said Jay "How are we supposed to get around that without arousing suspicion?" she shook her head "This isn't sounding like such a good plan, Gabriel"

"Yeah, I'm kinda heading that way too" said Dean.

Gabriel smiled "Which is why you need to learn how to _change_, Dean" he turned to Jay "If you're put in a position you don't want to deal with, change into a high-ranking demon and get yourselves out of there"

Jay nodded "That could work"

Gabriel smiled "It's going to _have _to Jay" he turned to Dean "You need to learn how to do this Dean, Jay can't be doing all of it herself" Dean nodded "You're going to organise meetings with those demons that will be leading the army with you and you're going to make slight alterations to the plans, but I _want _you to create a sense of distrust among the leaders and their army. You are going to go in there and you are going to mess with their heads…he thinks he's the creator of chaos? Well we're damn well bringing it to his door"

Dean and Jay grinned and raised their beers "Cheers!"

----------------

Raphael drove slowly into Death Valley as the sun started its rise over the plateau, its rays stretching over the peaks and troughs of the landscape, fighting back the darkness, staking its claim on the valley. The morning fog was still swirling in places as it fought to stay alive in the early morning rays, the sky starting to change from the dark-blue of early morning to the sweet orange of dawn.

Raphael drove the chevy towards a secluded area and parked; he reached over and shook Sam awake, then Zeke "Rise and shine, boys"

They both groaned as they stretched, rubbing their hands down their faces as they looked out the window.

"We're here?" asked Zeke.

Raphael nodded and exited the car "Now we walk"

Sam and Zeke got out of the chevy and went to the trunk, grabbing their bags and their swords "Man, I could go a coffee right now" said Zeke.

"I hear ya" said Sam.

Raphael smiled "Won't be long" he started walking into the desert laid out in front of them.

Zeke locked the car and he and Sam followed Raphael into the barren landscape, neither of them speaking, the rush of butterflies in their stomachs enough to keep them both quiet. They followed Raphael over dunes, small outcroppings, large outcroppings, down gully's through sandy valleys and over wide open plains. They'd been walking for almost three hours when Raphael turned to them and smiled.

"Just over that rise" he said and pointed to an outcropping about a mile away.

The trudged forward, their boots and clothes now covered in the dust and sand of Death Valley, the sun now beating down on them. They slowly climbed the outcropping, their hands now dry, dirty and sore. They got to the top and stood, staring at the scene laid out below them.

The valley was _filled _with people as far as the eye could see. There were so many it was difficult to even gauge an estimate. There were tents, horses, fires burning, people practicing sword manoeuvres, others organising large amounts of people into what looked like select groups...divisions maybe. It looked like chaos but it was _organised _chaos...it was the preparation for war.

And it hit them then…smashed into them with such a force that they were unable to speak or form any kind of conscious thought;_ this _was Armageddon; _this _was where the battle for mankind would take place and where the balance of the world depended on them and those below them. Where they would spend their last moments should they fail in their task and where they would bear witness to Gods power.

They turned to Raphael, shocked expressions on their faces and the Angel laughed softly "Welcome to Gods Army"

_**To be continued…**_


	13. Unbreakable Bonds

(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Thirteen.**

"Okay, one more time" said Jay as she stood in front of Dean. "Awesome" she grinned "I'm hot"

Dean laughed in her voice, closed his eyes and returned to his own form and grinned "I ROCK!"

"Try…" she laughed as Gus appeared in front of her.

"Kiss me" said Dean in Gus' voice.

"Ewww…change back first" she grinned "Or change into Sam"

"Hey!" he changed back to himself and grinned "Didn't know you liked girls" and he kissed her.

"I'm telling Sam you said that" she kissed him.

"Okay, if you two are gonna…you know" said Gabriel.

"Bang" they said and grinned at him.

He rolled his eyes at them, hiding a smile "Lovely"

"Don't you start" said Dean with a grin "According you, you've been getting free porn for the last couple of days" he laughed "That Angel thing is awesome…apart from the whole being dead thing"

Jay laughed softly "I can see you sitting on a cloud, wolfing down M&M's throwing back to tequila and watching mere-mortals go at it night and day"

He grinned at her "You know me too well"

Gabriel stood "Okay, time to get organised. Have you chosen your promise?" they nodded "It's the same for both of you?"

"Yep" they said in unison.

"Show me" he put his hands on their heads and closed his eyes. He smiled and removed his hands moments later "Good. You were specific and there isn't anything that can be messed with. Sit" they sat next to each other on the bed and Gabriel put his hands over their hearts and closed his eyes "Concentrate on your promise, on that _only"_

They nodded, took each others hands and closed their eyes; they felt a rush of warmth surround them, go through them and they smiled as they felt a strength fill them, covering them, allowing them to see through the darkness, through the lies and deception but still be a part of it without being tainted; _this _was the protection.

The smile fell from their lips and they frowned and held tight to each other as they felt the darkness come, beckoning them and they concentrated on their promise as they felt the shadow close around them, accepting them and they shuddered involuntarily.

Gabriel removed his hands and they opened their eyes, it was done. They'd chosen the path, their journey had begun, the first step of many towards Hell…again.

Dean turned to Jay "You alright?"

She nodded "I think so…didn't like that last bit though"

He nodded and kissed her softly "We'll be alright, I promise"

She smiled at him as Gabriel .moved a chair over and sat in front of them "Okay, the pathway is open, now I need to explain something to you"

"Why do I not like the sound of this?" asked Jay.

"Our army is building, most of it is assembled…" started Gabriel.

"Where?" asked Dean.

"Death Valley"

"Cliché much?" asked Jay with a smile.

Gabriel gave her a small smile "Yes. Very much" he looked at them "Sam and Zeke are already there, they have a guardian with them, one that will lead them, he will stay with them and train them, teach them what they need to know and…explain to them what is expected of them…when they see you"

"They know where we're going?" asked Dean.

Gabriel nodded "They weren't happy but Raphael scored the easier job in getting to work with them" he smiled "They have respect for Angels"

"We..just…" started Jay.

Gabriel laughed "I'm messing with you…kinda" he sighed "Look, you both understand that you could die" they nodded "that the demons _know _how to kill you, they _know _they have to take your heads off" they nodded again "there are those down there that know you, Lucas is one of them and there are other hunters that know _of _you, so you need to be careful. You'll be different because you've chosen the path, but you have to keep a familiarity about your personalities. There are also others down there that know you…demons"

"That Kasdeya, dude?" asked Dean and Gabriel nodded.

"Didn't he get the boot after losing me and Dean?" asked Jay "I'd have thought the main guy woulda been super-pissed at him"

"Kasdeya is a powerful demon, he has been General of the Infernal Army since the beginning. He was punished for your escape but he's kept his position. Apart from all the demons you have sent back to Hell, there is another working with Kasdeya" he paused "Malphas"

"Get the fuck outta here?" said Jay and Gabriel shook his head "Kasdeya _banished _him…not like I do, I mean banished him to the wastelands. I _heard _him, I _saw _them drag him away. That wasn't an act, he was terrified"

Gabriel nodded "He had every right to be. Malphas has spent the last year in the wastelands, he was recalled a month ago. He isn't the same demon you saw last time"

"What do you mean?" asked Dean.

"The wastelands, it's a different kind of Hell…a Hell for those who call Hell home"

"Jes….shit, how _bad _is it?" asked Jay.

"As bad as it can get"

"The _true_ Hell" said Dean.

"In a manner of speaking, I guess it is" he looked at the both of them "You need to be _very _wary of him, he's started to change, spending a year there…wandering alone, trying to stay alive and away from the beasts that call it home…"

"He's had a lot of time to think and he's _more _than pissed at us than ever, right?" said Dean and Gabriel nodded.

"Pissed really doesn't cover it, Dean" he smiled "But that's only part of what I need to explain to you" he leaned forward in his chair "You two will lead the Infernal Army against Gods Army"

"Yeah, you explained that already" said Dean.

"Well Sam and Zeke are leading Gods Army, not the Angels, of course, but the ones chosen to fight the battle for mankind"

"So, we're supposedly going up against Zeke and Sam in the Big Battle" said Jay "_That's _part of the reason he wants us, isn't it? Mind games"

Gabriel smiled "Part of it, yes. But Raphael and I have a plan"

"Ooookay…" said Jay "We're not gonna like it much are we?"

He shook his head "Not much, no"

Dean sighed "Okay, Angel boy, hit us with it" he squeezed Jay's hand.

Gabriel looked into their eyes "One of you has to die"

------------------------------------

Zeke and Sam followed Raphael down into the valley; their boots kicking up sand in their wake. Zeke and Sam were still too stunned to speak, the size of the army was enough to render them speechless but it was the slow realisation of the _scale _of this battle that threw them. Reading about Armageddon, being schooled on it as they both were, never truly prepared them for it; well that and the fact they never thought they'd fight in the Appocalypse, let alone lead the army that fought it.

Zeke finally managed to croak out a question, his eyes not straying from the sight laid out before him "These aren't all hunters, Raphael. Who…I mean, where did everyone come from?"

Raphael smiled "Hunters aren't the only ones that have been preparing for this battle. They come from all walks of life. There's military, of course, all branches; but there are clergy, doctors, business men and women, politicians, the average-joe…all have the skills needed to fight the battle. What they did in their professional life matters little here. We all have one goal and each was chosen…_destined _to be here" he smiled at them "As you were"

"Raphael, these gifts we have…the visions, the healing, Zekes…well whatever the hell it is he has…why?" asked Sam "Why us?"

Zeke looked at Sam "Thanks" he deadpanned.

Sam laughed "Sorry, dude…but _damn_, you can get inside peoples heads and alter _time…_" he stopped and Rapahel grinned "You can mess with time during the Apocalypse?"

Sam and Raphael kept walking, not realising that Zeke had stopped "Zeke can do a lot more than alter time…right, Zeke?" he turned…and then turned further when he realised Zeke wasn't with them "Zeke?"

Zeke was staring at Raphael "I won't do it"

"What?" asked Sam, he didn't like the look on Zeke's face "What, dude?" he asked again, walking back to the man.

Zeke kept his eyes on Raphael "I _won't_ do it" he stated firmly.

"Won't do what, Zeke?" asked Sam, apprehension rising in him "Tell me"

"Zeke…" started Raphael "You weren't given these gifts for nothing, there's always been a plan…"

"Then take it back. I don't want them" he said.

"You know it doesn't work that way" said Raphael gently.

"I don't give a shit. Take it back. _All _of it" he said angrily.

Sam's apprehension was now moving slowly into fear; that Zeke would ask for his gifts to be removed and that he'd speak to an Angel this way…something _bad _was going down and he didn't know what the fuck it was but it _had _to involve Jay; and if it involved Jay, it involved Dean "Alright, someone needs to tell me what the _hell _is going on!"

"Calm down, Sam" said Raphael.

He shook his head "Na-ah. If Zeke's freaked then I'm pretty sure _I'm_ gonna be freaked as well. So _someone_ tell me what's going on and tell me NOW" he demanded.

Zeke finally turned to Sam's, fury in his eyes "He wants me to kill Jay and Dean"

"_WHAT?" _Sam turned to Raphael "You're shitting me, right?"

"Not _both _of them" said Raphael gently "Just one of them"

Sam laughed derisively "Oh, well that's just _SO _much better" he shook his head "And how do we decide? Eeenie-Meenie-Miny-Mo? Paper, Rock, Scissors? Or do we just pick whichever one isn't pissing us off more on the day?"

"I understand this isn't…"

"_YOU UNDERSTAND NOTHING!" _yelled Sam. "THAT'S OUR BROTHER AND SISTER OUT THERE! HOW _DARE _YOU! AND HOW DO WE CHOOSE HUH? HUH? _TELL ME!_"

"You won't have to. They'll make the decision, it won't be your burden"

"Our _BURDEN?"_ yelled Zeke "Our _BURDEN? _You want me to kill either my _sister _or the man she loves, _Sam's _brother! What the fuck do you mean it won't be _'our burden'?"_

"Zeke, Sam…listen to me…" started Raphael.

"Fuck that" they said in unison.

Raphael's eyes blazed and his voice boomed "DO NOT SPEAK TO ME THAT WAY!"

Zeke stepped towards him and said quietly "I don't give a fuck _who _you are…I will NOT kill my sister"

"You won't _have _to" said Sam "If _they _have to choose, it'll be Dean. He won't _let _it be Jay"

Zeke turned to Sam "You think Jay'll let it be Dean?" he shook his head "She did it once already, you think she won't do it again?"

"You think Dean'll let her?" it was his turn to shake his head at Zeke "He'll never say it out loud, but he _loves _her" he turned to Raphael "We're outta here" and they turned their backs on the Angel..

And he was standing in front of them "You two aren't going anywhere" he eyes blazed brilliantly again.

"The only way you're making us stay is by killing us" said Zeke "I _won't _kill either of them" he laughed "You wouldn't want to clear up that _Sixth Commandment _for me would you?" he stepped towards Raphael again "THOU SHALT _NOT _KILL"

"Do NOT raise your voice to me, Zeke. I understand this is a difficult thing I'm asking…"

He laughed again "Difficult? You're _asking _me to _kill _either my sister or one of my friends!"

Sam turned to Zeke "Just on that, dude… _how _exactly do you do that?"

Zeke laughed again "Oh, Sam…my mind is disgustingly scary place" he turned to Raphael "Thanks for that"

"It's a _gift, _Zeke" said Raphael.

"Bullshit" he said "You think I _like _being like this? Being able to hear what _anyone_ is thinking? Being able to manipulate them? Not to mention being able to squeeze the life right out of them? I DON'T! I NEVER asked for this! I don't WANT it!"

"Zeke, you were given this gift for a reason. Most people would use it to their advantage, you _never _have. You have _never _killed anyone this way and you've had plenty of opportunity to do so"

"But you're _asking _me to do it now. To either Jay or Dean" he stared defiantly "I won't"

"You don't have a choice, Zeke. Jay and Dean are already on their way to Hell and if you don't kill _one _of them, then _both _of them die"

--------------------------------------------------

Dean and Jay both stood quickly "That wasn't part of the deal" said Dean.

Gabriel stood "There ARE no deals"

"We just bloody well _made _a deal!" said Jay "And no way in HELL is that happening"

"Listen, you two are _going _into Hell and you're _going_ to mess with their plans and you're _going _to bring that army to its knees. THAT is your job"

"And whose job is it to die, huh?" asked Jay "What the fuck do you _want _from us?" she put her arms around Dean "We'll _go _to Hell, we'll fuck with them _and _their plans but no WAY is one of us dying! NO WAY!"

"We won't do it" he tightened his arms around Jay "We didn't agree to this…"

"You understood you _could _die…" stared Gabriel.

"_Could _die is a big fucking difference from _will _die…there's a whole freakin' _certainty _hangin' over that!" he looked at Jay "Come on"

Dean went to their bags and Gabriel blocked him "You don't want to be doing that" said Dean.

"Or what, Dean?" said Gabriel "I'm an Arc-Angel, give it your best shot"

"Asshole" said Dean "What do you want? Isn't it enough that we've agreed to go? Now you're saying one of us IS going to die?" he shook his head "Fuck that"

"We don't have a choice" said Jay softly.

Gabriel nodded "The plans are already in place. You need to decide who it is that dies"

"_WHAT?"_ they asked incredulously.

"You heard me. You choose which one of you dies"

"You can't be fucking serious?" said Jay.

"I am" he sighed "Look, it's a big ask…I understand that…but it's also a necessary one"

Jay's eyes widened "You ARSEHOLE!" yelled Jay "You _opened _the path before telling us! You screwed us over!"

"I did no such thing" he stated.

"You fucking well did! Lucas is coming and we have no choice _but _to go. And now you're telling us we have to choose which one of us dies?" she shook her head "How is that _not _screwing us over?"

Dean turned to Jay "You sure we have to go?"

She nodded "You felt it, they accepted our offer. The deal's been made"

Dean turned to Gabriel _"Why? Why _would you _do _that to us?_"_

"When you're down there, you will turn Satan's army into _your _army. They will follow _you_, not all of them, of course, but a sizeable number. When one of you dies, the army will be in disarray, the survivor will need to turn the army on itself, get the demons to fight their brethren. It'll be one of a major coup, it will help win the battle"

"So one of us will be the sacrifice" said Jay and Gabriel nodded. She shook her head "No"

"Yes, Jay. I'm sorry"

She laughed "No you're not. This was planned all along"

"Me" said Dean.

Jay looked at him "What?" she shook her head "No" she looked at Gabriel "Me"

Dean turned her to him "No, Jay. It _has _to be me"

"Why? Tell me _why_ it has to be you?" she demanded.

He grinned at her "Because it's my turn. You did it last time…"

"I didn't _die _last time, you _saved _me" she said.

"But you were _going _to" he said softly and kissed her "That's enough"

She shook her head as tears formed in her eyes "No. I…I…"

"What?" he asked softly as he brushed her tears away.

"I _won't _lose you. I _can't" _she said "I _love _you" and she buried her head in his chest.

"Hey, shhh" he lifted her chin and smiled "I love you too" he turned to Gabriel "The decision's made. Me, I'll die" and Gabriel nodded.

"No, Dean…._please" _pleaded Jay.

He kissed her "I love you, Jay. I _won't _watch you die"

"But it's alright for me to watch _you _die is it?"

"We don't have a choice here. It's gonna be me and that's all there is to it" said Dean firmly.

"No" she shook her head "No, Dean. We…you and me…we just _found _each other again…"

He smiled at her then turned to Gabriel "Marry us"

"What?" said Jay.

Dean was still looking at Gabriel "You're an Angel, you can do that right?" he asked.

Gabriel smiled "Of course I can"

"Dean…" started Jay.

He looked at her "You don't want to?"

"It's not that…it…we're going into _Hell_…"

He grinned "So why _not _now?" he took her face in his hands and kissed her "I love you, _really _love you" he smiled "Marry me"

She smiled "Okey dokey" he laughed and kissed her again.

Gabriel took their hands "In my presence, with Gods love, you are now joined as husband and wife" and he smiled at them as they were filled with the same warmth as before.

"That's it?" asked Dean.

"Time really isn't on our side, Dean" he smiled "What more did you want?"

He laughed "Not sure, just thought it'd be more than one sentence is all"

Gabriel laughed "You going to kiss your bride?"

Dean grinned "Hell yeah" he kissed Jay deeply then turned to Gabriel "Get out…unless you want free porn again"

Gabriel nodded "You're on your path now. I'll see you on the battlefield" he smiled "And congratulations, we're _all _pleased at this" he held out his hand "For you"

They took the rings he offered and put them on each others fingers.

"Okay, thanks…" said Jay "Now get out"

He laughed and disappeared in front of their eyes.

Dean turned to Jay "Soooo, we're married" he grinned.

"Get your damn fine arse into that bed, Winchester" she grinned and he scooped her up and took her to the bed.

----------------------------------

"This is such a load of _bullshit_" said Zeke as he started to pace in the sand.

"What do you mean, they _both _die?" asked Sam.

"I can't explain _all _of the plan to you, especially Dean and Jay's side of it, but what I _can _tell you is that the longer they stay down there, the more dangerous it is for them. The battle looms and they'll lead the army against us…" he stopped, cocked his head and smiled as a man appeared beside him.

"Who the fuck are you?" demanded Zeke.

"I take it, they've been told" said the man.

Raphael nodded "Zeke, Sam…this is the Arc-Angel Gabriel. He was the one charged with guiding Dean and Jay"

He stuck out his hand but both men refused to shake it "Okay, I understand you're pissed…"

Raphael looked at him "Pissed?" he laughed "Gabe, is that really you?"

He smiled "They got to me a little. Zeke, Sam…both Dean and Jay have accepted that this is the way it needs to be, they weren't happy about it…"

"No shit" said Sam "We're not fucking _happy _about it either, _Gabe"_

Gabriel nodded "I understand, but the pathway has been opened and the decision has been made"

"It's Dean" said Sam and Gabriel nodded.

"I fucking well _knew _it!" he turned on the Angels "Happy now? You got your freakin' sacrifice? _My _brother, you assholes! MY BROTHER!"

"I won't do it" said Zeke "Sam, I won't do it"

"You have to, Zeke. If you don't, then our plan falls to pieces and they _both _die" said Gabriel.

"I can't kill him, I can't kill my friend" he said.

"Your brother-in-law, you mean" said Gabriel with a smile.

"_What?" _said Zeke and Sam.

Gabriel smiled "I just married them, I think they're 'banging their brains out', as they like to say, as we speak" and Raphael guffawed.

"They're _married?"´_ asked Sam.

Gabriel nodded "And _that _was the part we were _hoping _for. We couldn't guide them that way, or force it, it had to come from them, it will help them more than they realise, but now more than _ever _you have to do this, Zeke"

"I can't" said Zeke softly "I just can't"

Gabriel put his hand on the man's shoulder "Zeke, do you think we would ask you to do this if we didn't have an ace up our sleeves?" he smiled "Angels may be benevolent but we can also be devious. Now come on" he turned him towards the valley and laid a hand on his shoulder as he explained _exactly _what it was Zeke needed to do.

------------------------------------

Dean and Jay were aware of no-one but each other. They forgot about everything, all the plans, all that was required of them and they lived in the moment, in each other. Taking their time, revelling in one another, their hearts, their minds and their souls now one. _This _was how it was supposed to be, _this _was what they'd been searching for their whole lives, neither of them realising it until now.

Dean rested his forehead against hers and smiled "I love you"

She smiled "I love you"

He grinned "Say it"

She laughed "I love you…_babe_"

He grinned "Yeah, I like the sound of that" he kissed her "My wife"

"Well, well, well….you never banged _me _like that Jay"

They turned quickly, holding tight to each other as they instinctively reached for weapons.

"Relax. And thanks for the show" Lucas grinned and rose from the chair "Time to go home"

_**To be continued….**_


	14. Paved with Good Intentions

(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Fourteen.**

"Who the fuck are you?" asked Dean, although he knew full well who it was.

Lucas smiled "Lucas Mitchell…I'll be your tour-guide for the next part of our journey" he grinned at Jay as she got out of the bed and started to dress "My, my, Jay…that Priest sure did a number on you didn't he?"

She laughed "Got the bastard back though" she smiled nastily "Screamed like a girl, he did"

Dean grinned at her "That's _my _girl" he got out of bed and pulled her into a kiss.

"You might want to wear a little more than that, Winchester" said Lucas.

Dean turned and raised an eyebrow "Why? I hear it's pretty warm where we're going"

Lucas laughed softly as Dean dressed "Zeke said you were a smart ass" he looked at Jay "How _is _your gigantic brother?"

Jay shrugged "Don't know, don't care" she looked at Lucas and grinned "That was _some_ disappearing act you pulled back there"

Lucas laughed again "It's amazing what you can do when offered the right incentive"

Dean and Jay grinned at each other "Uh huh"

"So when'd you get hitched?" he asked and pointed to their rings.

"Yesterday" said Jay "You see that crappy church up the road?" he nodded "Damn priest was so happy to do something other than confession he about wet himself when we told him"

"How about we pop in on our way back…say hello to the _good _priest?" said Lucas as he watched them carefully.

"Sounds like fun" said Dean with a grin "We can still enter consecrated ground right?"

"Only one way to find out" said Lucas.

Dean and Jay grabbed their bags and followed Lucas out the motel door. They threw their bags into the back of the Impala and climbed in. Dean gunned the engine and pulled Jay against him as he reversed out of the motel lot and headed towards the church. He didn't know how they were going to pull this off, he knew he could talk himself _out _of any situation…talking himself _into _one on the other hand…well, they were about to find out.

He pulled up in front of the church and they piled out of the car, Dean taking Jay's hand as they walked up the stone steps of the church. Dean put his hand on the door-handle and pushed it open, the frigid air swarming out and sending a chill through him. "Well, let's see if I fall into a screaming, burning heap" he said with a grin and stepped over the threshold.

He turned to Jay and grinned as she walked over "Bugger…didn't even hurt" she said with a grin.

He took her hand and they walked up the aisle, Lucas a step behind them. They saw a priest, his back turned as he prayed at the altar. They stopped behind him and Dean cleared his throat loudly.

The man turned and smiled at them, performed the _'Signum Crucis' _and rose. He came down the altar steps and stuck out his hand "Dean…Jay, good to see you again. I take it marriage is suiting you…" he looked at his watch "Even though it's only been sixteen odd hours"

Dean shook the priests hand and grinned "Banging our brains out and then some, Padre"

The priests smile faltered "Oh, very…nice" he looked at Lucas "Something I can help you with, son?"

Lucas shook his head "Beyond help, I'm afraid" he grinned.

The priest smiled "No-one is beyond help, son. No matter what sins one has committed, redemption can _always _be found"

Lucas grinned "If redemption is what _one _is after"

"True" said the priest "But regardless of what options we believe we have, what limitations we believe we're under…" he smiled "seek and ye shall find…ask and it shall be granted"

"Alrighty then" said Jay "Just wanted to pop in before we left…to say thanks and all that crap…so…yeah…we'll be off then"

"Hold on a minute, Jay" said Lucas "Why don't you show the good _father _here…what happened to the last priest you had a chat with?"

Jay turned to Lucas "Seriously?"

Lucas shrugged "Why not? You've done it once, why not again?"

Dean had been watching the Priest while Jay and Lucas spoke and he saw the man's eye's change from the deep brown to a brilliant blue for a fraction of a second and the Priest smiled and gave him a subtle nod.

Dean turned to Jay "Go on, babe. What've you got to lose?"

Jay turned to Dean and saw him smile, a smile she knew well, one that said '_trust me'._ She shrugged "Okay" She reached down quickly, grabbing her dagger and slit the priest's throat in one fluid movement. The man grabbed at the dagger and she held onto him, lowering him to the floor, her face inches from his. She saw his eyes flash an irridescent blue quickly as he winked at her…and she almost dropped him right then "Anything you wish to confess, _Padre?"_ she asked nastily. She dropped him to the floor as he gurgled, taking his last breath. She wiped her dagger on his robes, then her hands and turned to Lucas "Alright, can we go now? I'm a little bored"

Lucas laughed "Jay…you really _are _a bitch aren't you?"

"Hey!" said Dean "You watch what you say about my wife" he grinned at Lucas "I'm the only one that calls her that" and he pulled Jay to him, kissing her deeply.

"Alright, alright…enough with the tonsil hockey…lets get out of this shithole" and he turned and walked down the aisle.

Jay and Dean followed Lucas, holding hands tightly; they glanced over their shoulders as they walked out of the church and tried not to smile as the priest winked at them again.

They jumped back into the Impala and Dean looked in his rearview at Lucas "So, where are we off to then, Luke?" he said as he gunned the engine.

"It's _Lucas_ and head south" he said.

Dean laughed as he turned the car around "South? No shit, _Luke" _he pressed his foot down and the Impala roared out of the church parking lot, her tyres spinning briefly, spewing gravel before catching and fishtailing onto the highway. There was no turning back now, they were on their way to Hell and into the biggest battle of their lives.

------------------

Sam found Zeke sitting alone on a sandy out-cropping overlooking the thousands upon thousands of men and women that made up God's Army. He sat down heavily next to him and said nothing for a long time. There wasn't a lot he _could _say to Zeke; he wasn't angry at him, didn't hate him in any way for what he was going to do and he wondered about that. Wondered why he _wasn't _pissed at the man who was going to kill his brother.

"Because you're a better man than I am, Sam" said Zeke, his gaze not shifting as he stared glassy eyed over the troops.

Sam laughed softly "That's debateable, Zeke" he stared in wonder at the people laid out before him, all seemingly at ease with what they were about to undertake. There was organisation where he thought there would be chaos; there was calm where he thought there would be disarray; hope where he thought there would be despair; but it was the overwhelming sense of confidence, a resoluteness that blanketed them all, that rose above _any _doubts they may have had that they were not going to win this war. These people were preparing for the battle to end all battles…and they were _happy_. Sam smiled to himself, _this _was what he was fighting for; the _best_ in mankind; he understood that the worst in mankind rode side-saddle with the best…but that was what made what was happening beneath them, all the more sacred. He was fighting on the right side, there was no doubt…he just couldn't think about the sacrifice his brother was going to have to make.

"You ever wonder why we were picked for these gifts, Sam?" asked Zeke softly.

"Wondered? Jesus, dude…all the time. Do I have an answer?" he laughed "Hell no"

Zeke nodded slowly "Maybe we don't _want _an answer"

"Maybe" he turned to Zeke "You were the one that sent Jay to me and Dean" Zeke nodded "Why? And I don't just mean because of the pact you made with Dad"

Zeke sighed heavily "Sam, you have to understand that I've been looking after Jay my whole life. I was only three when our parents were killed but even before then, I _knew _it was my job to watch over her" he laughed softly "It's been a hell of a job but I wouldn't have it any other way…" he paused "well I would…"

"You'd want your parents back"

Zeke shook his head slowly "No, I mean yes…but there was nothing I could do about that"

"You can alter _time,_ dude…why didn't you go back and _change _it?"

"By the time I realised I had the ability to do that…" he shrugged "Me and Jay had lived too long with the way things were…and there are always consequences when you alter time…I couldn't risk Jay. What if by bringing our parents back, she didn't get the ability to self-heal? She'd have died when she was eleven, I couldn't lose her"

"So…"

"I'd want her out of the game, out of this life. I'd want her leading the so-called _normal _life, not knowing that the monsters we see in our nightmares _are _real; that the thing in your closet probably _will _kill you but I couldn't keep her out of it so I thought _maybe _if she found someone she loved enough she would give it up"

Sam laughed "And you chose Dean?" he shook his head "Dude, were you drunk?"

"I didn't choose Dean" he looked at Sam "I chose you"

"_What?"_

Zeke laughed "I chose _you, _Sam. I knew you wanted out, that this wasn't the life you had imagined and I figured if you and she…that maybe between the two of you, you'd both get out, have a chance of something other than this" he waved his hand at the people below him "Kinda didn't factor your brother into it…should have seen it coming though, Jay does things her own way"

"You're pissed they're married?"

Zeke laughed "No. I _like _Dean, I see that they're good for each other but…like us, they'll never be out of this and this isn't the life that I wanted for her. I mean, shit Sam, we might not even survive this"

"Well we know Dean won't" he looked at Zeke "Sorry, dude…but he's my _brother. _He's been looking after _me _my whole life and now..._"_

"I understand, Sam. More than you know. I don't _want _to do this…I wish I didn't have to but it'll save my sister" he sighed "but it'll also mean I lose her. When she finds out it was me that killed Dean, do you really think she'll speak to me again? Want anything to do with me again?" he looked at Sam "We _both _lose, mate"

-----------------------------------

Dean, Jay and Lucas had been driving most of the day and into the night before Lucas instructed Dean to take a turnoff he sure wasn't on _any_ map. The track just seemed to appear out of nowhere, to shimmer into existence as they approached. At first glance, it appeared like any other dirt track in the middle of a backwater town; trees spaced so closely together you couldn't see two feet into them and the branches overhanging the path providing a shelter from the heavens. But it was the feeling of oppressiveness that wrapped around you, assaulting your senses and leaving little doubt as to where you were going that made your mouth dry and started your heart racing. Jay rubbed Dean's leg as he kissed her forehead, travelling slowly over the bumps and troughs that lined the track and towards a place they swore they'd never return to.

They pulled into a small clearing that was about ten metres in diameter; the trees that surrounded it, seeming to weep over the clearing, the dirt at their feet crunching underneath their boots as they exited the car. The silence that hung over the area was surprisingly loud; there were no crickets chirruping, no owls hooting not even the sound of small animals scurrying about the underbrush; this place was devoid of life.

Jay stretched as she got out, reached back in and grabbed her jacket, putting it on as the frigid air whipped about her. Dean bought her bag over and she threw it over her shoulder and they turned to Lucas and grinned.

"Well show us to the elevator and let's hit the down button, dude…" he grinned "It's a bit chilly up here"

Lucas gave Dean a short smile and removed his necklace "Stand next to me"

"Hold up just a second" Dean pointed to the Impala "What about my baby?"

"You want to bring you _car _to Hell?" asked Lucas incredulously.

"Why the _hell _not? I mean we'll need to get around won't we? And she really is a mean-looking bitch…she'll fit right in"

"You _can't _bring a car to where we're going" said Lucas, his disbelief in the man growing. How could _this _man be the one his Master was pinning his hopes on.

"Alright, I'll make you a deal. You make sure I know the co-ordinates to get back here so that when Jay and I kick those Angels asses we can ride through what remains of this realm in style"

"Giving the finger to all those that chose the wrong side" said Jay with a grin "Besides, this car rocks and seeing as my arsehole brother's got _my _car…seems only fair"

"You …" he shook his head "No"

Dean shrugged "S'Alright, I'll take it up with the big dude downstairs" he grinned at Lucas "Now move your hesitant ass, we're late for a meeting" he took Jay's hand and they went and stood next to Lucas.

Lucas glared at Dean as he got down on his knees, removing his dagger from his boot; he started to speak in the guttural language of the demons, swinging his necklace in slow, lazy circles. He raised his dagger, cutting the palm that held the necklace, his blood running down his hand, sliding down the chain of the necklace and coating the pendant. The blood dripped from the end of the necklace, hissing as it hit the ground, creating a circular pattern and Dean and Jay watched as the blood seems to draw together, to reach out and find its counterparts; they held each others hands tightly as they saw the air in front of them start to blur, to shimmer around the edges and as the air was sucked from their lungs they heard the familair sound of the crack of the Gates opening and the rush of hot, dusty air force it's way into the realm, seeking them out and enveloping them.

Lucas rose and turned to them and smiled "Abandon hope all ye who enter here"

"Hope?" grinned Jay "What's that then?" and she and Dean stepped into the fractured air and through the Gates of Hell.

------------------------------

_He lounged lazily in his 'throne', one leg hanging precariously over the arm as he stroked the woman's head distractedly, the chains from which she was bound to his chair, rattling slightly as she shook under his touch._

_**They **__were coming; they were on their way, almost here. He had felt their first tentative step down 'the path' and their retreat had bought about a rage, a fury that had only been sated when the walls of his lair ran with the blood of his latest victims, the blood that was now dried on his naked body. He stroked the woman's head as he stroked himself; both quivering at what was to come. _

_He closed his eyes and waited…waited for the moment __**they **__would enter his realm, enter their new home…become the new leaders of his army, the army that would bring about the destruction of mankind and the obliteration of the ones that called themselves 'holy'._

_A shiver of pleasure ran through him as he felt them pass through the Gates and he tightened his hand in the woman's hair, dragging her towards him and pushing her down on him; and as the gratification took hold, he bucked underneath her and reached down, tearing her head from her shoulders…a fervoured scream of ecstasy escaping his bloodied lips._

_His new Generals had arrived._

_**To be continued…**_


	15. Meetings and Greetings

(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Fifteen.**

Having been to Hell once, didn't make the return trip any easier. They knew what to expect, the desolation, the overpowering sense of helplessness, the winds that carried the voices of the damned, swirling relentlessly around the barren landscape and echoing through them; they remembered it from a year ago…it still didn't prepare them for the assault on their senses. Their sight was filled with nothing but dull shades of grey; the smell of sulphur hung so heavily on the air, you could _taste_ it; the wailing, desperate calls begging for a mercy that was never coming, tore into you; the oppression that ruled the realm hit you like a physical blow and Dean and Jay tried not to sag underneath its weight.

They followed Lucas down a stark desert track, the grey, shifting sands kicking up underneath their boots. Dean looked around, it wasn't a part of Hell they'd been to before…well, of course it wasn't; the Hell they'd been to existed in the future…and he really didn't know how to finish that thought, so he concentrated on his surroundings, taking in all he could and filing it away in his memory.

The sheer, slate walls to his right stood easily three-hundred feet high and were impossible to scale; they ran with a dark, viscous substance that hissed when it reached the sands at the base. To his left was nothing but open expanse; shifting sands that occasionally swirled into funnels that reached towards a sky that rumbled ominously as dark purple and black clouds fought angrily for space. He heard a distant roar, a roar that made his blood run cold; he had no idea what type of creature it belonged to…and he guessed he didn't really _want_ to know. He felt Jay's hand tighten on his and he squeezed it in return before letting go and putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her against him.

"So, Luke…there's no 'chauffer service' available for us?" asked Dean.

Lucas ignored Dean; the more the man opened his mouth, the more he hated him. This cocky, self-righteous asshole thought he could just waltz into _his _home and start taking control of an army that _he _should be leading. _He _had been the first to arrive, the first to accept the temptation and walk the left-hand path…but his 'Master' had told him that Jay and Dean _would _be the ones that would lead the Infernal Army into the battle against God's warriors.

"So we going to see the Big Dude straight away or what?" asked Jay.

Lucas shook his head "I'll take you to your quarters and _he'll_ call you when he's ready" he turned to Dean "You _do _understand that _he _rules here…not you"

Dean grinned "Why Luke…I don't think you like me"

Lucas stopped and stepped in front of Dean "Lets just get something clear, Winchester. I _don't _like you and I have _no _idea why _he _thinks _you _should lead the army" he turned to Jay "And as much as I like you, Jay…I don't know why he wants a 'Banisher' to lead it as well"

"Aaah, that'd be _ex-_Banisher, Lucas. Kinda think I lost my credentials what with making the choice I did" she turned to Dean and grinned "You think they'll let me still come to the meetings, babe?"

Dean laughed "Maybe if you bring a plate"

"For fuck's _sake!" _he shook his head at them "This isn't some big fucking _joke _we're dealing with! This is the _Big _Battle! Armageddon! The ultimate fight between good and evil! The ending of _their _world and the _beginning _of ours!"

"Geez, dude…chill out" said Dean; he grinned at Lucas "You seriously need to get laid" Lucas looked at Jay "Hey! Eyes off! _No one_ touches her!"

"I was _going _to ask her if you were for real" said Lucas.

"Yep" grinned Jay "He sure is. Now lead on, we've a new bed to christen"

Lucas glared at them, turned and stormed down the sandy slope, muttering under his breath. He turned into a narrow opening in the slate rock-face, Dean and Jay following Lucas into a darkened corridor that was lit by small flames that seemed to dance on the walls, flickering in and out of existence as they walked past. They made left and right turns, both Jay and Dean taking note of the way out and taking in as much of their surroundings as they could. They would need anything and _everything _to use against _him _and his army. _Spies, _Dean thought with a grin…he'd always wanted to be a spy. He tried to stop the _'James Bond' _music that started in his head, but it was no use…so he hummed along silently to it.

Lucas stopped at the end of a long corridor and pointed "Those are your quarters. Don't go walking around until _he _calls for you. If you need anything" he looked at Jay "And I mean _you_, I'm in there" he pointed to door about halfway down the corridor.

"Awesome" said Jay "Alrighty, then…catch you later, Lucas" and she opened the double-doors to the room and walked in.

Dean went to follow, stopped and turned back to Lucas "You got any spare time, Luke…I meant what I said, go find yourself some demon pussy…it'll work wonders" he grinned "I guarantee it" and he turned from the fury-filled face of the man and shut the doors behind him. He turned and dropped his bag on the floor "Fuck me…" he looked around "Is this seriously creepy or what?" he asked.

These weren't quarters…it was a _lair_; the dark walls seemed to pulse with a life all its own, shifting and moving subtly as it gave off a ruby glow. There was an enormous bed in the middle of the _lair _that seemed to be made from the blackened bones of something that was unbelievably huge; the skulls of another creature sitting on the top of each corner post. A circle of flames sat high above the bed, creating long shadows around their quarters. There was a large table with four chairs…also made from some type of bone, bottles of alcohol sitting in the middle of it…and that was pretty much it in the way of furniture.

Jay was sitting cross-legged on the bed and he went and joined her, sitting opposite her and taking her hands. She leaned in and whispered "How much privacy do you _really _think we have?" she kissed him.

"Not a lot. They're bound to be watching _and _listenting" he kissed her "So we be careful _what_ we say and we be careful _where _we say it" he kissed her again "And you _know _they'll be paying close attention…so you _watch _your ass"

She smiled "That's damn fine arse to you"

He laughed softly "Well we marked '_making out in Hell'_ off your 'to do' list" he grinned "Wanna mark something else off?"

"Oh, the first hunters to do it in Hell…we'll be legends…_babe" _she laughed softly "You slipped into _that _nickname pretty easily"

"Shut up and get naked" he grinned as he pushed her back onto the bed; their plans could wait, they would be meeting with the dark lord himself later...and all he wanted right now was to spend what little time he had left with the woman he loved, his wife...he didn't care _where_ he was, all that mattered to him was who he was with... and when she smiled at him, he knew she felt the same way.

------------------------------

Sam and Zeke made their way down to the army, both lost in their own thoughts; both struggling with what would inevitably be the loss of their siblings…the two people they loved most in the world. They walked with their heads down, hands in their pockets as the sun beat down on them; and as they walked through the army they were completely unaware of the stares that followed their passage.

"Head up, boys"

They lifted their gazes and smiled, the first genuine smiles in a long time "Gus" said Sam and he shook the man's hand.

"Sam, good to see you again" he looked at Zeke "Zeke, you're looking…huge" and Gus smiled as he shook his hand.

"When'd you get here?" Sam asked.

"'Bout an hour ago" he looked around and whistled softly "Fuck me…it's a hell of an army" he laughed "Or a _heaven _of an army, I should say" he looked back at them and smiled "Come with me" and he turned and walked towards a large grouping of tents.

"Gus…your leg…" said Sam as he watched the man walk easily through the sands.

Gus turned round, smiled, lifted his jeans leg and laughed at the shocked expressions on Sam and Zeke's faces "Had a visit from a friend of yours…Raphael…told me I was needed and …" he grinned "he was kind enough to fix me"

"_Fix _you? He gave you your freakin' _leg _back, dude!" said Sam with a laugh.

"All the better to ride horses with" said Raphael as he appeared next to Gus "Come on" and he led them round a large tent where a group of people were sitting on large rocks drinking coffee. The men and women turned and smiled at the newcomers and they returned them.

"Bobby" said Sam and he hugged the man.

"Sam" he patted his back "Zeke" he shook the man's hand.

Sam looked at Zeke and started to make introductions "Zeke, this is Ellen Harvelle" they shook hands "Ellen's daughter, Jo" Zeke nodded "this is Deacon" he laughed "And Detective Diana Ballard"

The woman laughed "Under the circumstances…it's just Diana" and she shook Zeke's hand.

"Don't know the others" said Sam and he pointed to two men standing near Raphael.

Zeke grinned "I do" he went and hugged the men then turned to Sam "Sam, this is Kane Williams and Flynn Abrams" they shook Sam's hand "Old friends" he looked at them "How the hell'd you get here?"

Flynn pointed to Raphael "Turned up when we were out on the piss, mate. Said something about you and your pain in the arse sister needing some help"

Sam laughed "They know Jay well then" and they rolled their eyes.

"We grew up together" said Zeke.

"What he _means_ is…the nuns beat the crap out of us every time Jay got us into trouble" said Kane.

"Speaking of…where _are _Jay and Dean?" asked Gus as he looked around.

Sam and Zeke looked at Raphael and the Angel told them all to sit.

"Why don't I think I'm gonna like this?" asked Ellen.

"Cause you're not" said Sam.

"Lucas" said Bobby and Sam and Zeke nodded "Jes…shit" and he slumped onto a rock "What the hell happened?"

"Ask him" said Sam angrily and pointed to Gabriel who had appeared next to Rapahel.

"Well?" asked Ellen.

Gabriel sat next to Gus "Okay, you've all met…which is good. But what I'm about to tell you goes no further. You _don't _let onto _anyone _else here about this. Do I make myself clear?" and his eyes flashed brilliantly and they nodded.

"If it's …secret…shouldn't we go somewhere more private?" asked Diana.

"No one can hear us" said Gabe.

"Where's Dean?" asked Gus.

Gabriel leaned forward, clasping his hands between his knees "Dean and Jay are in Hell" he put his hands up as the swearing and disbelief kicked in "Just hold on…"

"Are you fucking _serious?"_ asked Gus angrily "After what happened last time?" he stared and then started to shake his head "No way…no way in _hell_ would they do that!"

"Alright, you need to settle down and _listen _to me. Dean and Jay have _not _gone to _him _…they'll be fighting with us…only they'll be doing it from the other side. They'll be leading the Infernal Army against us…so you _will _see them on the battlefield…they're _the dark ones_ new Generals"

"Oh this is fucking _brilliant!" _said Gus "You _do _understand what happened the _last _time they were there? They _know _what Jay is! She won't last two fucking _minutes _down there!" he got up and started to pace "What the _hell _were you thinking?"

Raphael got up and put a hand on Gus and he calmed instantly "Easy, Gus…Dean and Jay are relatively safe at the moment. Gabriel placed a protection over them, so as far as _he _and every one else down there is concerned, they chose the left-hand-path voluntarily…"

"You better have a damn good plan" said Ellen.

Gabriel smiled "We do. And Dean and Jay agreed to it…they'll be undermining _his _authority… subtly, of course…"

Bobby laughed hollowly "Subtly? Dean doesn't _do _subtle"

"Neither does Jay" said Kane.

"Have faith" smiled Raphael "They're more prepared than you realise" he looked at Gabriel and he nodded "Dean and Jay will make the army their own, and, when the time comes, turn it on itself. They will make demon fight demon…giving us an even greater advantage"

"You're hoping" said Bobby "There are no guarantees here" he shook his head "And if _they _find out? What then?"

"Then they're screwed" said Flynn; he looked at Zeke "How could you let her go, mate?"

"I didn't _fucking _well let her go! I had no goddamn idea!" he turned to Gabriel "_He _did it"

"_Listen _to me" said Gabriel "You need to understand that this isn't some minor-league hunt you're on, this is _Armageddon; _the battle that will determine the survival of mankind, the survival of your _world. _There is more at stake here than Dean and Jay…and from what I'm hearing, _they _seem to understand that more than you do"

Raphael crouched in front of them "You lot will form the core of the army that will battle against Dean, Jay and _their_ army…there'll be other hunters there that have _truly _gone to the other side, so it won't be a surprise to them that Dean and Jay _are _there. But we have an advantage in them" he pointed to Sam and Zeke "they've been to Hell and survived and they've picked up valuable information on how their army operates. We're not sure if Zeke will be able to contact Jay and Dean while we're battling…if he can, then that'll help but Dean and Jay won't be doing anything tactically different from what Gabriel told them"

"You _think_" said Gus "You know those two…when have they _ever _listened? They're as bad as each other"

"Which is why they were picked…_he _chose them for a reason. He _wants _them and they'll have pretty much free reign there if they play their cards right. You need to understand that they're fully aware of what they're up against and they've accepted it. This is _the _battle…there are no guarantees that _any _of you are going to survive; and if we _do _lose, none of you are going to _want _to. So you need to focus on what _you're _doing, concentrate on leading those that will be at your command. And for all intents and purposes, Dean and Jay_ are_ your enemy"

"This sucks" said Flynn.

Raphael nodded "Yeah, I guess it does" he turned his attention to Sam "Sam…you and Zeke will make the battle plans, you know how their army will attack, so you prepare _our _army and you train them on battle formations, school them on demon tactics and you make them understand that _anyone _that rides from the other side is to be killed…demon _and_ human"

"Do you know if they've met with…" started Jo.

"_Him? _Not sure…Dean and Jay are on their own now. But they _will _meet with _the dark one_…and that carries perils all its own, but they have…gifts …that will help them and they have each other" said Gabe "And if they annoy him as much as they annoyed me, then he won't meet with them often"

"I'm glad you think this is funny" said Sam.

"I don't, Sam" he sighed "Alright, Sam, Zeke, Bobby and Gus…stay here. The rest of you go with Raphael. The battle starts in two days, the time for niceties is over, you need to get organised" the others got up somewhat reluctantly and followed Raphael towards the mass of men and women that formed the army. Gabriel turned his attention back to Sam, Zeke Bobby and Gus "Sam, Zeke…you asked why we were pleased they married…"

"They're _married?" _asked Gus incredulously "As in…"

Gabriel nodded "Husband and wife, yes. I did it before they left for Hell…" he looked at Sam and Zeke "They're _bound _to each other now…they didn't enter into it lightly, they knew what they were doing…and no-one, not even Satan can break that. So he _cannot _turn them against one another but what he _will _do is perform his _own _ceremony, he won't want them to have _any _link to us. Now Jay will recognise the ritual and understand how to use it and _that _will help them make the army their own"

"But Dean isn't a banisher" said Sam.

"He is now, Jay schooled him and she knows how to harness the magic used in other rituals, _he _will give her access to that power and she'll pass it to Dean" he looked at Zeke "and when you do what you have to, it will unleash a fury within his army like _never _before…and Jay will lead the assault against _him"_

"But Dean…" said Sam.

"Dean understands what's expected of him…" he smiled "and remember, he has Jay; she'll look after him" said Gabriel as he stood "Now come on, time to make battle plans" and they followed the Angel into the main tent.

-------------------------------------

_He stood tall, his body glistening in the firelight as he awaited the arrival of his new Generals. He was finally going to come face to face with the ones that had defied him a year ago, that had bought about a rage in him that had torn through his realm like a tornado, ripping it apart, leaving very little untouched. Many had suffered for their escape, none more so than those he would put directly under their command and __**they **__would be his spies until he was sure of their complete and utter devotion to him and Hell. _

_He went to his throne and sat, lounging lazily as he heard the approaching footfalls; and he issued a roar that let them and all those in the realm know who was their ruler.._

-----------------------------------

Dean and Jay followed Lucas down hallway after darkened hallway; a platoon of demons in full uniform surrounding them closely. Jay took Dean's hand and squeezed it…it was game time and they were about to meet Satan himself. She thought she'd be more scared than she was but she knew that if Dean wasn't at her side, she'd be pissing in her pants. Dean turned and smiled at her and she swore then, that she'd do whatever it took to keep him alive…damn whatever plans Gabriel had in place; she wouldn't lose him.

They got to a large double-door that stretched easily fifteen-feet high and they heard a roar, a primal roar that rocked them to the core. On the other side of the doors was evil in its true form and they were about to have a sit-down with him.

Dean glanced at the demons around him when the roar crashed through them and into the realm, and he tried not to smile as he saw the fear light up in their eyes. They had fear where he did not. He was here to do a job and it made no matter who was on the other side of the door, he would get it done. Jays', Sam's, Zeke's and pretty much everyone else's lives depended on it and Dean Winchester _never _shied away from anything.

"So…you gonna open the door or what?" Dean asked "He sounds a little impatient…don't want to keep the Big Boss waiting now do we?"

A large demon with General stipes on his epaulettes stepped forward and pushed the double-doors open and stood to the side as Dean and Jay followed Lucas into the chamber. The demons got down on one knee, their right fist clenched over their hearts, their heads bowed when they saw their Master. Lucas bowed and got on one knee…and….no one said anything.

Dean and Jay stared. _This _was Satan? They understood that he was in his mortal form, the fact that he was naked, kinda clued them in; but the man lounging on the dark-throne seemed rather innocuous. They could tell he was tall, well-built, his shoulder length black hair hung perfectly around his almost aristocratic face; high brows, patrician nose and full lips with the darkest eyes they'd ever seen. He watched them as they watched him, each assessing the other…taking in everything.

Dean and Jay didn't bow to him, didn't kneel, they stood totally relaxed, holding each others hands…they _knew _they belonged here…that _he _wanted _them _and although they wouldn't push him too hard, they would play the game; the game they had _no _intention of losing.

"You don't bow to me?" he asked. His voice was oddly soft…almost feminine.

"A General bows to no one" stated Dean firmly.

"Not even his Master?" asked the Dark One.

"To _no one_" Dean said evenly "A General shows _no_ weakness, _no_ servitude. If he wants his soldiers to follow him unwavering into battle, to not question his ability and his decisions, then they must see that _he_ is their leader…no other"

"We are not your equal, that's a given. But in _their _eyes, we must be. You want us to lead them effectively, to make sure _you _win this war then that army out there belongs to us. You rule _this _realm and once we win you will rule _all _the realms but until then…they are at _our _command" said Jay.

The Dark One stared curiously at them, they showed no fear in his presence, they were confident, self-assured and fully aware of what was expected of them "And if I force you to your knees?" he asked quietly.

"Then they lose faith in our ability to lead them to victory…and effectively lose faith in your ability to choose your Generals" said Jay.

"You are our Master…but we are theirs. This isn't summer camp…we're at _war _and I'll be fucked if I'm gonna let some piss-weak, lower-ranked officers think we don't know what we're doing…what _you're _doing" said Dean "Jay and I are going to take that army out there, to the upper realm and we are gonna _make _it ours! We will destroy every living thing that gets in our way …human, angel…whoever stands between us and victory. You wanted the best? You've got it"

"And your brothers?" he asked.

"We are with our brothers now" said Jay "those two that call themselves that are dead to us…" she laughed nastily "or they soon will be"

He stood quickly, Jay and Dean didn't flinch, they stood their ground as he made his way over to them, his movements were fluid…he seemed to almost glide along the ground. He circled them slowly and finally stood in front of them "You show no fear and you show me no respect!" he yelled and they said nothing as they held his gaze. He laughed merrily "Finally! I have _true_ Generals!"

"Well then" Dean turned quickly, drawing the sword of the General that was still bowed in submission, decapitating the cowed man before he realised what had happened; and as the demons head fell from his shoulders, Dean turned back to the Dark One "You won't be needing him"

The Dark One smiled as he looked at the man and woman in front of him…yes, he had chosen well…the so-called _holy _ones and their warriors would not know what hit them.

_**To be continued…**_


	16. Lines Drawn in the Sand

(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Sixteen.**

_And as the battle drew ever closer, an awakening amongst those in the realm began. A silent call to arms was heard, and those that were open to the call made their way to California; by road, by rail, by air and on foot; by whatever means possible. Not completely understanding the urgency of their journey, just knowing it was where they __**had **__to be; where they __**belonged.**_

_Those that would not take up the literal call to arms would fight the battle their own way; resisting the barrage of temptation that was thrown at them and making their fight through prayer; giving the soldiers a strength borne from hope, strength and most of all, faith. They flocked to their places of worship and those that couldn't, prayed where they were; knowing their God would not care where they made their benediction; prayer was prayer wherever it was made; each one heard, cherished and answered._

_An awareness was borne across the realm; believers and non-believers alike were joined together in the knowledge that their world was teetering on the edge of salvation or destruction; not all were drawn towards the light; there were those that chose the path to darkness, their call just as strong as those that turned their souls to Heaven. A battle is not a battle unless there are sides from which one must choose; and the days that would follow, the days before Armageddon; choice, for some, would be the hardest battle they would __**ever **__have to fight._

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Dean tossed the sword aside, the sound of it clattering on the cavern floor, echoing noisily around the antechamber. He raised his eyes to Satan, a nasty smile on his face "We need new swords, that piece of shit won't do" he looked at Jay and smiled "Only the best for you, baby"

The dark one watched them intensely, he could see the potential for them to be so much more than mere Generals in his army. They _knew _they belonged here, that _this _was their destiny. He laughed to himself, they'd fought hard to bring their _brothers _out of here…to free _themselves _from his home only to willingly return…and all it had taken was a promise of a life-together, free from everything but each other. He laughed out loud this time, the sound of it like fingernails scraping down a blackboard; _love _he didn't understand it…he didn't _want _to understand it; the mere _thought _of it turned his stomach, but he would use it to his advantage; use it as the collar from which to shackle those that _belonged _to him …and _these _two belonged to _him._

He looked at those that bowed in supplication to him "Leave us!" he ordered and they withdrew quickly, dragging the head and body of the general with them, closing the doors behind them; the story of what had happened here would spread like wildfire through the realm; propelling Dean and Jay to a status even they could not foresee.

Dean watched the Dark One as he assessed them, he could see the cogs of his mind whirring behind eyes that were blacker…he tried not to laugh... well, blacker than the pits of Hell. There was more than madness behind them, more than pure evil; this entity was _no-one's _fool and he and Jay had to tread _very _carefully, one mistake, one misstep and _everything _would be lost; and he would _not _allow that to happen. Jay, Sam and Zeke were depending on him…and pretty much the rest of mankind as well…_talk about pressure, _he thought to himself, biting his cheek to stop from grinning. He felt Jay pinch his hand painfully, she _knew _what he was thinking and was warning him to take it easy. He watched as the demon's eyes fell to their hands, his brow furrowing when he saw the rings.

"You are wed?" he asked angrily.

"Yes" said Dean evenly.

_Oh shit, _thought Jay, _this ain't good, ain't good at all. _The big guy was _pissed _and she guessed a pissed off Satan was _not _someone to be taken lightly, but they had to play the game, show no fear. Showing it now, especially after they'd stood up to him moments ago would play right into his hands; they would have to be on their game the _whole _time they were here. "We were wed before we accepted our destiny"

"By one of _his _…devotees?" he spat.

"Yes" replied Jay.

"No" he said "Not here. Not in _my _realm! You will have _no _link to _them! "_ he shook his head "You wish to be wed?" he laughed.

"Yes" they said firmly.

Jay looked at Dean "That, too, is our destiny"

Dean smiled at her then turned to the Dark One "And part of our promise"

He studied them, there was no faltering in any decisions they made. They were well aware of what they wanted and they believed it their due. They were smart, self-assured, calculating and, where the other wasn't concerned, cold. Just the attributes he wanted in leaders. "I will _wed _you…if that is what you wish"

"We would rather be bound to each by you than by…the… _other" _said Dean.

The Dark One laughed and lifted his arms, palms up and morphed into his true form. He felt the rush as his body manifested to the shape from which his power was drawn. He issued a roar of gratification as his body grew into itself; his mortal skin pulling back as his blackened, porous hide broke though; his muscles bulging, flexing as they took shape. His fingers elongated, ripping through the tips of the fingers, the fingernails growing into razor-sharp talons. His toes pulled back, going from five to two, the claws of which scratched noisily against the ground. He threw his head back, the mortal tendons snapping as his jaw ripped free, pushing forward, the many sharpened teeth ripping through his lips, blood dripping down his chin. His eyes turned a fearsome shade of red, glowing with a insane light as his spine snapped loudly, unfolding as it rose; ram-like horns shattered the skull, growing and curling in on themselves as the last of the manifestation took hold and he roared again, this roar one of pure power, letting all who heard it know that _Satan _had arrived.

Dean and Jay watched the display, fear settling deep in the pits of their stomachs. They held tight to each others hands, taking strength from the touch of the other. They kept their faces passive, watching calmly as Satan literally tore into being, his roars ripping through them and bouncing off the walls of the lair and coming back to hit them again and again. They stood their ground, knowing that any show of weakness on their part would be the death of them. And when the Dark One issued the last roar, the one in his true form; when he towered over them, all nine-foot of him, his muscles tensed, his taloned hands clenching, digging into the flesh of his palms; his teeth ripping into his lips, his eyes shining with untamed evil …they did the only thing they could…they smiled.

The Dark One stepped towards them, placing his hands on their heads, his talons slipping down the back of their necks, slightly nicking their napes; his eyes blazed brightly and he opened his mouth, speaking in the sepulchral language of Hell, beginning the ceremony that would bind them to each other…bind them to _him._

Dean and Jay closed their eyes, their hands clasped tightly, Jay's fingernails digging painfully into Dean's hand. They felt the corruption slowly seep through their skulls, into their minds and slither through their bodies and before the panic could set in, they felt the protection Gabriel had placed over them, rise like a shield, allowing the ghost of the malignancy to course through them, whilst keeping them safe from its cancer.

Jay heard the words, the beginning of the ceremony and smiled when understanding pretty much slapped her in the face. _He _was giving her a weapon and he didn't even realise it. He was giving her access to his power and she opened herself to it, the magic her predecessor had taught her, the thaumaturgy that had been passed down through the ages from 'Banisher' to 'Banisher', capturing what it needed and discarding what it did not. _This _would give them the advantage they needed and, she hoped, would help keep Dean alive.

They opened their eyes as the Dark One's last words spewed forth and he lifted his taloned hands from their heads, his face breaking into a distorted smile…a smile they mirrored.

"Now you are _truly _bound to each other and to _me"_ he declared "Your links to the so-called _Holy Ones_ are now broken. Eternity is now yours for the taking". He bestowed the last words like a gift, a twisted wedding gift.

"Awesome" grinned Dean "We'll be taking it" his face turned serious "Your army…_our _army will bring about the destruction of the upper realms and bring you to your rightful place as leader of all creation" he laughed "By destroying it"

"Who believes themselves to be the leader of our army?" asked Jay.

The Dark One laughed "An old _friend _of yours…" he paused "Kasdeya" he intoned as he watched for their reaction.

"Oh, does he?" laughed Dean nastily "We'll see about that" he looked at Jay "I believe he still has one of my daggers"

Jay laughed "Oh, baby…we're gonna have us some fun" she returned her attention to the beast in front of her "We'll make our plans and meet with our sub-ordinates tonight"

"We'll make changes as we see fit, you'll be kept informed of what you need, the general running of the army will be _our_ responsibility. Someone of your power needn't concern themselves with the mundane activities of your kingdom. You have much more important things to deal with"

The Dark One nodded as he assessed them "I _will _be watching" he informed them, the menace clearly heard.

They smiled at him "Of course" said Dean "You're our leader, our master. Your will" they both nodded. "Now if there's nothing else, I'd like to take my _new _wife and go bang her brains out"

The Dark One laughed, the amusement it held made their blood run cold "General, you _are_ amusing" he lowered his face to Dean's, putting it inches from his "Do not _cross _me" he whispered menacingly "That would be a _very _bad decision on your part" his eyes bored into Dean's "Because I will vent my fury on your woman" and he rubbed at himself, making his intentions abundantly clear.

Dean held his gaze "Then we won't have a problem will we? I hold true to my promise" he paused, taking a chance "Will you?" and he watched as the Dark One's eyes flashed dangerously, a fire seeming to dance within them. Time seemed to stand still as he waited for an answer but he didn't drop his gaze, he stared Satan down. It was a moment he would remember for the rest of his life, drawing a line in the sand and daring the devil to cross it. Dean Winchester had just poked Lucifer in the chest and said _'bring it on, baldy' _.

The Dark One lifted his head slowly, his eyes still on Dean's as he reached out suddenly, grabbing Jay around the neck and lifting her off the floor. Dean fought every instinct that screamed at him to kill the beast in front of him, kill the one that was hurting Jay, but he _knew _that would be the death of her. "You gamble the life of your woman on a challenge?" he sneered as he started to slowly squeeze Jay's throat.

"I gamble nothing" he said calmly "I'm asking for an answer to a question. A reasonable question considering the circumstances" he turned his eyes to Jay, his stomach dropping as he saw how vulnerable she was but pride rushing through him when he saw she showed no fear and when she turned her face to him and smiled and he saw the trust in her eyes, he loved her more than he'd ever loved her. He turned back to the Dark One "Would you risk the loss of a masterful General for the answer to a simple question?"

The beasts eyes went between those of Dean's and Jay's; still they showed no fear, even when he had the woman by the throat, one twist of his hand would bring about her death; but what would he gain from that? He laughed and dropped Jay to the floor. She landed easily and stood casually, her hands at her sides as she stared expectantly at him. He turned to Dean "My promise will hold"

Dean nodded "With your permission…" he motioned his head towards Jay "Kinda want to get started with the honeymoon"

Satan waved his hand dismissively "I will have your swords made, My _Generals _will carry only the best"

Dean and Jay bowed their heads, turned and left the lair, closing the doors quietly behind them. They said nothing to each other as they headed back to their quarters. Dean putting his arm around Jay's shoulders, pulling her against him as her arm moved around his waist, and they made their way slowly down the darkened hallways.

They got to their room and locked the doors; Dean pulled Jay against him, holding her close, his face buried in her hair "I'm sorry" he whispered, the fear of almost losing her making his voice hitch.

Jay pulled gently back from him and smiled "Kiss me"

He smiled, lowered his lips to hers, his tongue running gently across them and her lips parted, his tongue finding its partner and she teased him, her tongue moving in lazy circles against his. He moaned softly, his hands moving down to her ass…no, _his _ass and he lifted her, her hands moving in to his hair, pulling his lips harder against hers as she wrapped her legs around him. Her moans mixed with his as he took her to the bed, laying her down gently. She ran her down his arms and back up again, resting them against his chest.

She looked into his eyes "Tell me" she whispered.

He smiled at her "I love you" and he gave himself over to her; mind, body and soul and when she whispered the words back he knew she'd done the same.

---------------------------

Sam and Zeke were going over plans with those that would be leading the legions against the Infernal Army. Most of them were hunters but there were two Army Generals, an Admiral and a pre-school teacher (which both Sam and Zeke had found highly amusing) but after listening to Harry speak, they realised they'd totally underestimated him; the man was more ready for this than most of those they'd spoken to; he would be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.

Raphael and Gabriel had been listening to Sam and Zeke strategise, their smiles growing ever wider as the two men, who had started slowly, came into their own, the more they planned the more they grew into their positions. They had gone from worried brothers to leaders of an Army that would take on Hell itself; their knowledge of the tactics that would be used against them was one thing, the tacticians that each of them were, was something else entirely. Their minds seemed to open up and it bought with it a devastating ingenuity that even _they _hadn't foreseen. They smiled to themselves, they figured someone else had.

"Sam" said Raphael softly.

Sam looked up from the maps of Death Valley, the chewed pencil hovering inches from his lips "Yeah?"

"Finish up. We need to speak with you and Zeke"

Sam nodded and returned his attention to the group "So you understand how they'll move once the battle begins. You need to go out there and tell your sub-ordinates, train them, they'll train those beneath them"

"You'll need to pick someone to replace you should you die in battle; they'll pick someone to replace _them _and so on and so forth; the chain of command _cannot_ be broken. We fight til the end, the _very _end. Make that _clear" _said Zeke. "We haven't got long to get this army organised and battle ready"

"You take your legion and you make _sure _they know what they're doing" Sam smiled "Cause seriously, dudes, the fate of the world really _does _rest on our shoulders"

"Geez, pressure much?" said Harry with a grin.

"Harry, you deal with three-year olds" laughed Gus "This should be a walk in the park compared to that"

Harry shook his head at Gus with a laugh "You don't have kids do you?"

Gus frowned "Why does everyone say that?"

Zeke smiled at them "Alright, the sooner you start the better. We've drawn a line in the sand and anyone that crosses it is gonna pay with their lives. _Anyone _that comes from the other side is to be killed_...anyone, _is that clear?_"_ they nodded "Okay, go teach the others how to kick demon arse" they smiled at Sam and Zeke and left the tent, laughing and taking the piss out of each other, the camaraderie already taking hold of them. They would need it in the upcoming days.

Sam and Zeke looked at the Angels as the others left "Well?" asked Sam.

"The ceremony we told you about, the one _he _would perform on Jay and Dean, has taken place" said Gabriel.

"Are they alright?" asked Zeke urgently, his heart starting to beat wildly in his chest.

Gabriel smiled "They're fine. Jay understood what was happening, she did well" he looked at Sam "Your brother likes to push the boundaries"

"Jes…ahh…shit…what did he do?" asked Sam, fear and apprehension settling in his stomach.

"Lets just say" Gabriel shook his head "I understand why he wins at poker the way he does"

Sam looked suitably embarrassed "You…umm…know about the poker..and…"

"The pool-sharking, credit-card scams? Yes, Sam" said Raphael with a smile "You Winchesters are…"

"Shifty?" offered Zeke with a grin.

Sam punched him in the shoulder "Easy" he said with a laugh "You told me how you read the cards from the minds of your opponents"

"Hey!" Zeke laughed "Trade secret, mate"

Sam turned back to the Angels "They're okay, though? Really?"

"Really" said Gabriel "They're sticking to the plan, you need to stick with yours" he said pointedly to Zeke.

Zeke sighed and nodded "Is there no other way?" he pleaded.

"I'm sorry" said Gabriel "But understand that your brother and sister are more …cunning …than even _he _realises. You need to have faith that this is the way it needs to be and as hard as this is to accept, it is _His _way" he smiled at them "And He _always _has a plan"

They nodded solemnly, the laughter of moments ago, a distant memory as they were dragged back to the realisation that their lives would be forever changed after this battle; neither one of them wanting to think about life without their sibling; the one constant in their lives. They turned from the Angels and walked out of the tent and into the sunshine, the brightness, the warmth of the day doing nothing to alleviate the grief that was already taking hold of them.

"Look" Sam heard Zeke say in wonderment. He dragged his gaze from the sand and stared open-mouthed at what seemed like a river of people pouring over the dunes; an unending stream of new soldiers; and he smiled, the army was only just beginning to build.

They turned as they heard Gabriel and Raphael come up behind them "What...how...?" asked Sam.

Raphael smiled "The call is being answered"

And as the seconds turned to minutes, the minutes to hours; the flow of warriors continued to find their way to the Holy Army and Sam and Zeke started to gain some hope that maybe not _all _was lost.

_**To be continued…**_


	17. Mind Games

(Disclaimer: Don't own anything except the following story)

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Seventeen.**

Jay nestled against Dean, feeling his strong arms around her as he lay soft kisses against her forehead. She didn't want to break this moment with words but she needed to speak with him, to explain what had happened when the Dark One had _'re-married' _them but he seemed to know that she wanted to talk.

"Tell me" he whispered almost inaudibly.

She turned, resting her head over his shoulder, her lips against his ear "When he performed the ritual, he opened his magic, his _power_ to us" she bit earlobe softly "my mojo kicked in and I took some of it" she bit him again.

He turned to her and smiled "Okay" he whispered "If you keep doing that while you're talking to me, I'm not gonna hear _anything _you say"

She laughed softly "Too easy, Winchester"

He grinned at her "Yes. Yes I am" he kissed her "Now tell me…without all the biting…for now"

She leaned over, putting her lips back to his ear, biting him one more time and laughing as he moaned "Alright, alright...for him to perform the ceremony, he had to use a ritual, use words that are _old _magic and to get to that, he had to open a doorway into his power, okay?" he nodded "Well a doorway works _both _ways, so while he was doing what he was doing, my mojo…"

"Hang on" he interrupted. He lifted her chin and looked at her "You talk about it like it's a separate entity" he whispered.

She frowned slightly "It is"

"But the mojo is _you" _he said

She shook her head "No. All I am, all _you _are is a _conduit _for the mojo. Magic is creature all its own. What I was given and what I gave to you is _access _to it" she looked at him "Dean, magic has been around longer that mankind has, you know that; it's neither good nor bad…it just _is" _he grinned at her "What?"

"You're smart" he said as he grinned again.

She rolled her eyes "You've only just figured that out?" she smacked him playfully.

He laughed "No this is good" he kissed her "Now I can love you for your body _and _your mind"

"See? And I just love you for your body" she grinned at him.

He laughed softly "And I'm okay with that. Continue with the lesson, professor"

She leaned down to his ear again "Alright, so there was only a small window of opportunity and the mojo realised before I did what was happening and started to …_scan _the magic, that's the best way to describe it" she paused "it found something"

He turned his face to hers "This is huge right?"

She nodded "But it means a change of plans"

"Our plans or Gabe's?" he asked.

"Dean, these have never been our plans. We agreed to come here but we never would have…_I _never would have if it meant I was going to lose you"

He put his hand to her face "You _listen _to me. Whatever happens out there when we're fighting, you _have _to _let _it" she shook her head "Yes. You _know _what's at stake here, I'm not doing this for mankind, I'm not that freakin' noble, Jay. I'm doing this for you, for Sam and for Zeke. If it _doesn't _happen then …you've _seen _what becomes of our realm, I won't have you live there. You _look _at me. This _has _to happen or it fucks up everything"

"I don't care. I _won't _let you die" she said defiantly.

"Jay" he said softly "I don't want to argue with you, but I _will _on this. The army needs to turn and they _won't _if I don't die; and where will that leave Sam and Zeke? Fighting without the advantage we came here to give them" he kissed her "And where will it leave us? _Here, _Jay. And eventually they'll figure out what we've done and what do you think they'll do to us?"

"It's not _fair" _she looked at him "What am I supposed to do without you? Answer _that"_

He smiled at her "You mourn me forever and go slowly insane"

She sat up abruptly "It's not fucking funny" she pushed the sheets from her then turned back to him "Did you just ask me to marry you because you knew it'd be the shortest damn marriage in history? You don't really have to commit because there was a time limit on it?"

"No"

"Bullshit" she started to get up and he pulled her back "Here, take your damn ring back" she started to pull it from her finger.

He put his hand over hers "Don't you take that off. Don't you _ever _take that off!" he whispered as loudly as he dared "You think I want to die? I don't. I don't want to leave you and Sam but I will, _gladly_, if it saves you" he laughed softly "You want to know how selfish I am? I _want _you to be unhappy, I _want _you to mourn me because that means you won't let another …" he shook his head "Forget it" he got out of bed and threw his jeans on.

"I can save you" she said softly.

He looked back at her, she was staring at her hands as she twisted the ring on her finger "What?"

She looked up at him "I can save you"

He went and sat on the bed opposite her "Jay…"

"No, I _can. _And there's _nothing _you can say that's gonna make me change my mind" she looked into his eyes "I'll save you whether you want to stay married or not but I need to know whether this" she held up her hand with the ring "Is what you really want"

He took her face in his hands and kissed her like he'd never kissed her before "It's what I've _always _wanted" he kissed her forehead "Now stop it with the chick-flick moments before I turn into a girl" he grinned at her "Tell me, how are we gonna fuck them over?"

She rubbed her hands down her face "Start at the top. Meet with Kasdeya, suss him out…then mind-fuck him. You think you can turn into Lucas?" he grinned and she watched as he changed in front of her eyes "Good. Now change back, you're freaking me out"

He changed and smiled at her "What's wrong?" he pushed her back on the bed "I thought you and he…"

She shut him up with a kiss "This isn't gonna work if you've got your pants on, Winchester"

He grinned "We are _never _getting out of this bed"

"I'm not complaining…" she smiled "now about those pants…"

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Sam and Zeke sat away from everyone else as they pushed the food around their plates. The fire in front of them giving them light but not warmth; the icy melancholy that ran through their veins could not be melted by the flames at their feet; the flames that did nothing but remind them of where Dean and Jay were.

"What do you think they're doing right now?" asked Zeke softly.

Sam smiled "If I know my brother…banging Jay's brains out" he looked at Zeke and laughed softly "Sorry for that mental image, dude"

Zeke laughed as he shook his head "You remember that day I came to see you at Gus' place?" Sam nodded "I had to talk to you anyway, but I tried to reach Jay first and …" he shook his head "I'm still scarred from that display" and Sam laughed "Seriously, mate…how glad was I those arseholes burned my car" he laughed softly "I'd never have been able to drive it again without seeing…" he shuddered.

"Dude, right there with you. You have _any _idea how many times I slept with a pillow over my face trying to block out the sounds of Dean and his chicks?" he shook his head "No wonder we're both fucked-up"

They said nothing for a while as they watched the army move around; introducing themselves… going over battle plans… showing the new recruits sword manoeuvres…going about the business of organising a battle.

"Promise me something, Sam" whispered Zeke.

Sam turned to him, the man was staring into the fire, the dancing flames reflected in his eyes "What?" he asked,

"That you'll look after her. After this; when we win…keep her safe"

"You know I will. Zeke" said Sam.

Zeke turned to him "You need to promise me something else, Sam"

Sam didn't say anything as his stomach fell to his feet; he wanted to run, to not hear what Zeke was going to ask but his legs wouldn't obey him.

"Promise me that if we lose and Jay survives…"

"Zeke…"

Zeke shook his head "No, you _kill _her. Don't you let those arseholes get her" he stared deep into Sam's eyes "_Please" _he begged.

Sam tried to stop his head but as he nodded, willing his tongue not to form the words, he heard his voice echo through his mind "I promise"

-----------------------------------

Dean and Jay followed Lucas down the dim passageways; the demons they passed stepping aside and standing to attention as they saluted their new Generals. Word had spread quickly of what had happened when the two had met with their 'Master'; how they had refused to bow down to him, had stood their ground and made demands. _Demands!_ A grudging appreciation had been born and with it a quiet fear; their new Generals were brazenly arrogant and after what the man had done to 'Caaden', ruthlessly merciless as well. They sensed a change in the dank air that surrounded them and it sent shivers of excitement through them; _these _were the Generals that would bring about their rule and they accorded them the respect they deserved.

Dean and Jay returned every salute, their faces stony, their backs straight and their heads held aloft as they marched behind Lucas. The demons needed to see they were in charge, that their rightful place was at the head of the army; that they were their leaders and a change of the guard was coming. They could see that their meeting with the Dark One had already spread and now they had to reinforce their superiority over those that called this home.

Lucas led them into a large cavern that held a long table; the twenty-three demons that sat at it falling instantly silent at their entry, their eyes taking in the newcomers, assessing them as they were assessed.

"Stand to attention and salute your superiors" Dean intoned angrily, his eyes flashing dangerously.

All but four rose quickly and obeyed; Kasdeya and Malphas were the last to rise from their seats; unable to hide their hatred and fury at the sight of Dean and Jay. They raised their hands slowly, saluting the new Generals but it was a lacklustre performance and Dean saw that. He also saw that the two demons sat at the head of the table; he smiled to himself, not for long they didn't.

Dean and Jay split and walked down either side of the table, their eyes not leaving those of the two demons who still believed they were in charge of the Infernal Army. They got to the head of the table and stared at the Kasdeya and Malphas, saying nothing until they grudgingly moved away from their seats, forcing all the other demons to move down. Dean and Jay sat, lounging back in their chairs and watching the demons, waiting for the first signs of nervousness to appear. It didn't take long. A demon about half-way down the table, started to sweat under the unwavering gazes of the newcomers.

"You" said Dean, motioning his head towards the demon "Name" he demanded.

"Nicor…sir" he said.

"Out" intoned Dean. When the demon stayed seated, Dean's gaze hardened "I told you to _leave_" he reiterated "You're stripped of your rank; move back to the regular army" the demon stared "GO!" thundered Dean.

The demon rose quickly, the back of his knees hitting the chair and knocking it over before turning and marching out of the room. Dean looked at Lucas "Follow him, make sure he does as I've commanded. If he doesn't…" Dean smiled "Kill him" Lucas hesitated "Problem understanding my orders, Luke?"

Lucas glared at Dean then shook his head "No…_sir" _he said and turned on his heel, slamming the doors behind him.

Dean turned his attention back to the remaining demons "We will _not _have officers that can't control their emotions. We are at war and anyone that's not up to the task will be drummed back to the regular army. Anyone who disobeys a direct order from either of us will be killed. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir" was the collective reply.

"You're all Generals?" asked Jay and got a universal nod "Not anymore. There only _two _Generals in this army and we're it. You're all dropped back a rank, same with those beneath you. You'll organise it once this meeting is over. If you have a problem with that, you'll be demoted further. This is no longer about you and your position within this army, this is about destroying the upper-realm and everyone in it. Allowing _Him _to take his rightful place as the true Ruler of all creation" she smiled "Isn't that right?"

"Yes, ma'am" they answered loudly.

"So we're all on the same page" said Dean "I want numbers. Lists and ranks of all demons; any that have specialist training and what it is; personnel records; inventory of all weapons…I want the lot. We will go through this army regiment by regiment; tear it to pieces and rebuild it to an impenetrable force. We will _not _lose this battle" he stared at each and every one of them, daring them to defy him.

Jay leaned forward "Now, we don't know this army like you do, so you will be our eyes and our ears. There will be no more fucking around, no one is allowed to leave our home from now on in. We are preparing for battle and _that _is the only thing that is allowed. This is an army, not summer camp" she looked at them "Questions"

The demons looked at the new Generals, not sure what to do; they had come in and tipped everything on its head and taken control. Questions? Dear Satan, did they had questions!

One demon cleared his throat "My name is Raum, Sir,,,Ma'am. I command thirty legions, we are battle ready …" he paused and spoke carefully "I don't understand why you need to disassemble an existing army"

"Because, Raum" started Dean "This army doesn't operate effectively"

Kasdeya bristled "We have been _operating effectively _longer than you…"

"Do you remember what happened last time we met, _Kasdeya?" _interrupted Dean "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe your _army _had a bit of trouble killing the two of us"

"Two against…how many legions? Three? Four? Not to mention that rather large puppy you have" said Jay. She leaned towards the demon "So you tell me how _effective _this army is if it couldn't kill two mortals"

"She has a point" said another demon quietly. He looked at Dean and Jay "My name is Agares, Commander of thirty-three legions" he looked at Jay "I was there the day you…"

"Screwed Kasdeya and Malphas over?" said Jay.

The demon hid a smile "Yes, ma'am. I will have my manifest to you within an hour of the meetings end" he paused "There has been some …worry…over the appearance of those that hunt us…" he started, not quite knowing how to finish the sentence.

"Understandable" said Dean "But know this, those that are here…are here for the long haul. We have chosen our side and anyone who believes differently is disrespecting our leader" he cocked his head "Do they think he wouldn't sense a traitor in his home? In his ranks?"

"No, sir" replied the demon "I am just conveying the…"

"Malcontent" finished Jay. She looked at all the demons "We were _personally_ chosen by the Dark Lord himself; anyone who believes we're not capable of leading this army is spitting in _his_ face" she stood "Get your manifests done and bring them back here. We'll go over plans then. We go to war in three days. Dismissed."

The demons stood, saluted and turned towards the door.

"Kasdeya" said Dean.

The demon turned "Sir" he said, forcing the words through his lips.

"Take your seat. I haven't finished speaking with _you" _he pointed to the man's chair.

Jay looked at Dean "I need to speak with Lucas. I'll meet you back here in an hour"

Dean nodded, the unspoken _'be careful' _conveyed in that nod. He would keep Kasdeya here while Jay went to mess with some heads. Dean turned back to Kasdeya "I said sit the fuck down" the demon sat as Jay left the room, closing the doors behind her.

She walked down the passageways back towards her quarters, ducking into a small alcove when she was just around the corner from them. She closed her eyes, whispered to herself, opened them and stepped from the alcove, now in the form of Kasdeya.

She walked purposefully towards Lucas' room and knocked quietly. He opened it moments later "General?"

Jay stepped into the room "Not a General anymore thanks to those assholes" she shut the door behind him.

"Kasdeya, you shouldn't be here…their quarters are just down…" started Lucas.

"I will _not _be commanded by those two! Not _them!" _she hissed as she paced the room, remembering the demons quirks and using them convincingly. She turned back to Lucas "I have a plan…"

"General…"

"You want that asshole? The one called Dean? You want him treating you like shit? You were the one that was here first, if _anyone _should be commanding this army it's you and me! ME!"

Lucas watched the demon as he paced, he was seriously pissed off…and a pissed off demon that was power hungry he could use. Use to get the position that was rightfully his...and then, yeah, Kasdeya could be easily dealt with. He would command this army _alone. _"What's your plan?" he asked.

Jay, in the form of Kasdeya, smiled "A revolt. We'll show the Dark Lord how incompetent they _really _are. We'll falsify the army records and give them misinformation. I can handle most of that. I need you to get into the other hunters ears…tell them those two can't be trusted…Satan, tell them anything you want, just get them on _our _side"

Lucas nodded slowly "You'll need to turn the Generals too, start rumours within the army. We've got two days…" he grinned at Kasdeya "Better get to work then"

Jay smiled at Lucas "An alliance" she laughed "Me and a hunter" she shook her head then looked at Lucas "Do _not _cross me, Lucas. I am more powerful than even _you _are aware" she turned and opened the door a fraction and saw Agares talking quietly with two demons at the end of the hallway. _Perfect, _she thought. She stepped out, closing the door behind her; Agares and the other demons looked up and saw who they thought was Kasdeya, sneaking out of Lucas' room and hurrying furtively away.

Jay smiled to herself, stage one…now for stage two. She changed from Kasdeya's form to that of Raum and walked quickly towards a group of officers that were discussing what had happened between her, Dean and Satan.

They stopped speaking as she neared "The rumours that are flying about this place" she shook her head.

"So it's _not _true then, sir? The _did _bow down to our Master"

Jay shook her head "No, they didn't bow to him. They stood their ground and they took the army as their own" she shook her head and smiled.

"What, sir?" asked another demon quietly "You've met them?"

Jay nodded "I have and.." he laughed softly "Dear Satan, they know what they're doing. I was sceptical at first but…they know that realm and they know our enemy. We are in good hands. They are fiercely protective of their soldiers and I guarantee they'll look after us" he frowned.

"Is that a problem, sir?" asked another demon, his curiosity piqued by the thought of having commanders that would actually treat them with the respect they deserved and pay them handsomely for it.

"No, not them. But …" she leaned in close "I over-heard them speaking, the Dark Lord is planning to take the upper-realm for himself, leaving us down here and offering us the scraps of that world. The new Generals aren't happy; the upper-realm is for _all _of us and they said they won't let their army be betrayed like that. They will fight the Dark Lord for our right to have the spoils of victory" she turned and looked behind her then leaned in and whispered "You tell the men, we battle for victory, but we battle for ourselves as well. We have been kept down here for too long, that realm belongs to us as well. We fight with the new Generals and we'll be repaid in kind" she smiled "All the death, torture and violence we want" she smiled inwardly as she watched their eyes light up at the thought.

She stood quickly "Back to your duties. The new Generals will meet with the army in due time and you will _see _what a force we are to be reckoned with" they stood and saluted, Jay returning it before the demons walked away, whispering…conspiring. The army was about to be turned against the dark one.

She turned and headed back the way she'd come, finding a small niche in which to change back into her own form. She stepped out quickly and went back to Lucas' room. She knocked on the door and he opened it.

"Jay" he smiled.

"Hey, Lucas…thought we might have a chat. Just heard an interesting bit of information, thought you might clear it up for me" she watched as his smile faltered just a little.

"You did?" he asked.

She nodded as she went into his room, closing the door as she turned to him "You want to explain to me why Kasdeya just told me you're planning on killing me and Dean and taking the army as your own?"

Lucas stared at Jay, the anger building deep within him. He'd been played, that fucking asshole Kasdeya had _played _him! Well let the games begin! "Jay" he smiled "Have I got a story for you"

--------------------------

Jay walked away from Lucas' room, a smile on her face. Kasdeya and Lucas had played beautifully into her hands. She turned the corner and one of the demons she'd spoken to when she was in Raum's form saluted her.

She returned it "Something I can help you with, soldier?"

"Ma'am…we heard we're being demoted…and…"

She smiled at him and nodded "A rank is just a rank, soldier. It won't matter once we win the war. We will all be equal when the Dark Lord rules over all realms. You will be compensated accordingly, _all _the army will. We may command with an iron fist, but we look after our own. Understand?"

He smiled, nodded and saluted "Yes, Ma'am"

She patted him on the shoulder "Good. Now go back to your training. We go to war in three days and we're going to go up there and kick some so-called holy arse. You with me?"

He laughed "Yes, Ma'am"

She nodded and walked back towards Dean a frown now creasing her brow. This was just a little too easy…and she didn't like it when things were too easy. She opened the door to the room where she'd last left Dean, he wasn't there and Kasdeya was sitting in the chair Dean had claimed as his own, a slow, sleazy smile on his face "Welcome back, _Banisher"_

_**To be continued…**_


	18. Defiance

_(Disclaimer: Don't own anything Supernatural related; the following story and characters of Jay and Zeke are all mine)_

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Eighteen,**

Sam and Zeke led another practice charge over the plains of Death Valley, the troops effecting the tactical manoeuvres expertly. The cavalry would lead the charge, the foot soldiers would bring up the rear, filling in any gaps left by fallen soldiers. Two hours after they started, they split the army into two and practiced charging at each other, getting them used to the sight and sound of horses thundering towards them.

They watched the practice from horseback, noting weakness and refining their plans accordingly. This was the only time when their thoughts weren't concentrated on Dean and Jay, their attention was focussed solely on what was happening in front of them. This was _their _army and it was depending on them to lead it effectively.

Not many knew of them or their history, so while there had been some initial scepticism, it had been quickly dispelled after the first briefing and only strengthened with each passing day. These men _knew _what they were doing and were in constant contact with the Angels that appeared frequently around the encampment. Faith. That was what it was all about and they had it not only in God but in the two men fated to be their leaders during the battle.

Sam patted his horses neck and turned to Zeke "The right flank needs to advance more quickly, they're not riding in proper formation and they need to match the speed of those around them"

Zeke nodded and reached out to Gus, explaining the problem and watched as he saw him nod and gallop towards the right flank, halting their progress and speaking animatedly to the company commanders. Zeke laughed "He gets his leg back and he thinks he's Wyatt Earp"

Sam laughed "I got up in the middle of the night and caught him hopping" Zeke cracked up "Seriously dude, he told me he'd been bitten by a snake…refused to show me the _bite _of course, said he'd get Raphael to look at it then practically ran off"

They turned their attention back to the plains and watched again as the army charged each other, the right flank now in formation and with no visible gaps.

"Much better" said Sam.

They turned as they heard 'FIRE' yelled from the dune behind them and watched as a rain of arrows fell harmlessly into the distant sands.

"Fuck me" said Zeke with a laugh "This is so damn medieval I feel like I should be wearing armour and carrying a freakin' shield"

"Your uniforms will arrive tonight" said a voice to their right.

They turned and saw Gabriel standing next to them. Their stomachs clenched, they never knew whether Gabe's appearance was just the standard checking in or if he had news of Dean and Jay.

"Uniforms?" asked Zeke with a frown "I don't _do _uniforms"

"You do this time" he said "You fight for God, you will dress accordingly"

Sam and Zeke said nothing as they turned their attention back to the army and to another charge "Harry's company is advancing too quickly" said Sam.

Zeke nodded and reachd out to Gus again "There's gonna be some sore arses by the end of the day"

"I need to speak with you" interrupted Gabriel.

They turned, he was now sitting astride a chestnut stallion "What the hell is it this time?" asked Zeke angrily.

"We may have a problem" said Gabriel.

"May? Or _do?" _asked Sam.

"Do"

"Then just _say _'do'…stop fucking pussy-footing around alright? _You _were the one that organised this bullshit so just be straight with us" said Sam.

Gabe nodded "Jay's not going to let you kill Dean" he said and Zeke and Sam smiled.

Sam turned to Zeke "I told you I love your sister right?" he laughed.

"She's married, mate" he laughed "And I'm pretty sure Dean'd kick your arse if you looked at her wrong"

"This is _serious" _said Gabe "Dean's death will be instrumental in our winning this battle"

"Hey, you said yourself that she wouldn't allow it. Looks like you were right" said Zeke with a grin, the relief of not having to kill Dean felt like a boulder had been lifted from his shoulders.

"You don't understand…" started Gabe.

"You know _what _I don't understand?" said Sam, his eyes boring into the Angels "Is why you ask us to have faith in _you _yet you refuse to have it in Dean and Jay. You said they were chosen for a reason, that _they _were the ones that would bring about the downfall of the Infernal Army, why don't you just let them do their job"

"We know them a damn sight better than you do" said Zeke "They understand what needs to happen and if Jay says she won't allow it then she won't. My gift is powerful but it's no match for her mojo and if she's harnessed some of that prick's power then …" he laughed "I haven't got a hope in Hell of killing Dean" he grinned at the Angel "No pun intended"

"Listen to them, Gabe"

Sam and Zeke turned to find Raphael sitting on a grey stallion, the horse standing majestically beside them "What could it hurt to wait another day and see what they do?"

"We _have _a plan" said Gabe "Their army _needs _to turn"

"Who said it won't?" said Sam, he shifted higher in the saddle "You sent them there and you knew full well they're not the type to play by the rules"

"He's got you there, Gabe" said Raphael with a laugh.

"I'm glad you find this amusing Raphael" said Gabe "You do realise it could get them both killed" he looked at Sam and Zeke "You understand _that_ don't you?"

Zeke glared at him "Then they go out on their own terms. Not yours" he kicked at his horse and took off towards the army.

Sam followed him moments later, resisting the urge to give Gabe the finger, he guessed his joyous laughter had pretty much the same effect.

Gabe looked at Raphael "This was _not _how it was supposed to go"

Raphael smiled at his friend "Maybe not how _you _believed it would, Gabe. But who's to say it _wasn't _supposed to happen this way?" he smiled again "They're smart and cunning and if they can save each other they will, you _know _that. And are you really that surprised they didn't listen to you?"

He sighed loudly "No. But what if they fail, Raphael? What then?"

Raphael grinned "Like Sam said, have faith. _He _does" and he kicked his horse, following Sam and Zeke towards the army.

Gabe sat and watched, his mind doing somersaults as he tried to figure out what _exactly _it was that Jay had planned. His frown slowly lifted from his face, replaced by a smile as he felt a sense of calm and warmth flow through him, there was little he could do about it and if _He _had allowed it …well Gabriel wasn't one to argue with his Boss. Still, that niggling doubt at the back of his mind remained…

-----------------------------

"Banisher?" laughed Jay "Yeah, I'm sure that's still part of my job description _Kasdeya" _she said as she walked towards him "Now tell me, what makes you think you can sit in _that _chair and act like you belong there?"

"I DO belong here! This is MY army and I will NOT have some…" started Kasdeya.

Jay slapped him "You DARE speak to me this way? Your GENERAL!"

"You _slap _me?" he yelled, standing and trying to intimidate her with his height.

Jay laughed "A bitch-slap is no more than you deserve" she heard a knock at the door "Enter!"

Agares walked into the room, a stack of papers held in his hands, he took in the situation quickly and moved to stand beside Jay "I have the information you requested, General"

"Thank you, Agares" she said, her eyes never leaving those of Kasdeya "It's good to see _someone _understands the shift of power is for the benefit of the realm" she noticed Agares' hand move slightly towards the dagger in his belt.

"I've had word that our Master commands yours and the General's attendance, Ma'am"

Jay nodded "Wait for the other's to return with their manifests" he saluted and she returned it, she turned her attention back to Kasdeya "When the General and I return, we will discuss your _insubordination"_ she smiled nastily "And you _know _how much the General likes to chat? I believe you still have his dagger from the last time you _spoke_" she turned on her heel and slammed the door behind her.

Agares stared hard at Kasdeya "What are you doing, Kasdeya?"

"I will _not _be commanded by a banisher and a hunter!" he shook his head "How can _you?" _

"They are not what they once were. They are our Generals and they were selected by the Dark Lord himself, that is all I need to know"

"They are _no _Generals" he spat "They _hunted _our kind, Agares! Do you know how many of us they killed?"

Agares smiled "I am well aware of their skills. Do you not think that will be an asset to us on the battle field?" he shook his head at the demon "You need to see the bigger picture, Kasdeya"

"I won't stand for it" he shook his head "I will _not _be commanded by them and I _will _take back my army"

Agares studied him "I'd be _very _careful what you say and to whom you say it, Kasdeya" his hand moving to the handle of his dagger "We have been given two very powerful allies, two that _I _believe will bring about our return to the upper-realm and the glory that goes along with it"

Kasdeay scoffed "We'll see, Agares" he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Agares looked at the closed door for a long time, he saw the shift in power and he believed it was for the good of the realm and _that _was where his loyalty lay, with his home. And if the new Generals were as powerful as he believed them to be, then his loyalty had shifted as well and his legions would follow them to the death.

-------------------------------------

Jay stood in the passageway that led to the Dark One's chamber; trying not to pace as she waited for Dean. She saluted demon after demon that passed her, trying not to sigh out loud as another one headed towards her; this was going to drive her _nuts_. Salute this, salute that…next thing she knew, they'd be putting her in a damn uniform.

She looked up as she saw Dean heading towards her, wearing his trademark cheeky grin. He took her hand "Come with me for a second" he opened a door on his left, a demon was sitting at a desk going over books "Out" ordered Dean.

The demon stood quickly, saluted and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

Dean smiled, his arms going round her as he pulled her into a deep kiss, his hands sliding over her ass as she moaned softly. He pulled back slowly "You can't be moaning like that, we have a meeting to get to"

She smiled and put a hand to his face "Sorry about the slap" she whispered.

He grinned "_Bitch-slap, _I believe you called it" he whispered back "That Agares is a shifty one. Listening at doors and whatnot" he smiled "He tried to put _'Kasdeya' _in his place" he laughed softly "But that demon just _won't _listen"

"He's on our side" she said softly "and he'll bring his legions with him" she kissed Dean "Now lets go see what the scary guy wants" she kissed him again "Then a quick trip to our quarters before heading back to work"

He grinned "I like the way you think Mrs Winchester"

Jay frowned slightly "Mrs Winchester?"

"Well…yeah…we're married" said Dean as he shifted uncomfortably.

Jay laughed "You _are _old-fashioned aren't you?"

Dean stiffened "Keep your name if you want" he said "Makes no difference"

She smiled at him "Are you pouting?"

"No"

"You _are" _she laughed softly and grabbed him as he turned towards the door "Don't. I was just having some fun" she looked at him "You're serious?" he said nothing "Okay, I'd like that"

He grinned "Well if you insist" he kissed her "Now let's go, we got some banging to do…" he grinned at her "Mrs Winchester"

--------------------------------

The Overlord sat upon his throne; his minions at his back as he awaited the arrival of his Generals. A dark smile spread across his lips as he felt their presence moving towards him; the doors opened and they strode confidently into his lair, their eyes instantly taking in all around them before returning to his black ones. They stood in front of him, not challenging but not bowing down either; they held true to their word, they would _not _bow their heads in the presence of other demons.

"Leave us" the Dark One rumbled.

The room was cleared in an instant, his servants scurrying from the shadowy chamber like cockroaches hit by unexpected light. He waited, watching as the door closed behind the last of them, a smile of dominance rising to his lips as they knelt at his feet.

He rose quickly and smiled again as they didn't flinch, didn't make even the slightest movement at his actions. He strode to the back of his chamber, returning moments later and standing in front of them. He took the first sword, its black blade pulsing with untamed power and sliced the jaw of the kneeling man; binding the weapon to him.

"Rise" he intoned gutturally.

Dean stood, ignoring the burning pain that slewed down his jaw, scorching down his throat and lighting a fire in his chest.

"The Sword of Bael" said the Dark Lord "Forged from the deepest pits of Hell; the fires fed from the flesh of _his _warriors and stoked by the most un-holy of holy, the Fallen Ones" he passed the sword to Dean "With it you will bring about my dominion of all creation"

Dean nodded "Your will"

He took the other sword, performing the same ritual on Jay, her sword, the Sword of Ipos; she felt the same fire snake through her, nestling in her chest as it licked at her heart; and her command to bring about _his_ dominance of the upper-realm held the same undercurrent of menace as Dean's had.

The Dark Lord sat back on his throne, studying the two Generals; their swords now across their backs, their eyes shining with the same dark light, the same hunger for victory he knew lit his own. "We battle in two days" he sat forward, his eyes flashing dangerously, the light now an insane gleam as it targeted them "You ready my army and you bring me the victory I deserve" he laughed malevolently, the sound echoing like thunder round the cavernous lair "Or there _will _be Hell to pay"

"Failure is _not _an option" stated Jay as she stared into the fiery pits of Satan's eyes.

"We have work to do" said Dean.

He waved his hand in dismissal and called for his minions; Dean and Jay had seen the arousal in him and wanted out of there as quickly as possible. Not for their own safety, they knew until the battle was waged, they were shielded from his depravity; they just didn't want to witness it in all its repugnant glory.

They were silent as they headed back to their quarters, the demons they saluted as they passed, standing well back as they saw the swords over their backs; _this _was the final confirmation that the new Generals were the ones that would lead them to victory and it dispelled any remaining doubt they had.

Dean and Jay saw this and knew word would spread quickly; reaffirming their command over the Infernal Army. They were now past the point of no return and had to ensure their plans were in place to effect the revolt mid-battle.

Dean closed the door behind them and turned to Jay's "You gotta be _shitting _me!"

He laughed as he saw the black uniforms hanging from the wall opposite them, the General stripes clearly visible on the epaulettes "Black? Who'd have thought"

"I _knew _it!" she muttered disdainfully. She turned to Dean "I don't _do _uniforms"

Dean slung his sword over a chair and flopped onto the bed, grinning at Jay "So you won't do a naughty-school-girl uniform for me?"

Jay put her sword on the table and went to him "Only if you dress as a fireman for me" she laughed at the irony.

He grinned at her "You were saying something about banging…"

She smiled "All in good time, Dean" she sat opposite him "Gotta lay some mojo on you"

"Jay…" he started.

She shook her head "No. Fuck Gabe's plan, I've got another one and it'll work…" she whispered.

Dean took her hands in his "We've been over this…"

"And I told you I would save you and I _will._ You _can't _change my mind so don't even bother trying" she looked at him "Tell me, if the situation was reversed and you could save me, would you?" he didn't say anything "Well? And I want an _honest _answer, Dean"

"Yes" he answered.

"Then let me do the same for you" she said softly "Do you _want _to live, Dean?"

"Of course I do" he whispered "But we _need _the army to _turn, _baby"

She smiled and kissed him softly "They will but it means a lot more work than we initially planned and it's risky, I won't lie to you" she smiled at him again "But I _won't _lose you, you hear me?"

He grinned "You starting to nag already?"

She slapped him upside the head "Don't start" she pushed him down on the bed "Close your eyes and clear your mind, whatever you feel, accept it, don't fight it"

He frowned slightly at her "Why would I fight it?"

"Because I have to push it under the shield Gabe put around us, it may hurt some"

"Jay, if this leaves us vulnerable, don't do it" he started to sit up,

She pushed him back down "It won't Dean, I'm not breaking the protection I'm just sneaking something underneath it"

"Will _he _feel it? Feel you using his power?" he asked.

She shook her head "Magic is a funny thing, Dean…don't you roll your eyes at me" she laughed "It conforms to its guardian" she smiled at him "It's no longer his magic, its mine. Now lie back and try not to scream"

Dean grinned "That wasn't what you said last time"

She laughed softly and put her hands either side of his head "When I'm done, it'll be your turn to make me scream"

He grinned "It'll be my pleasure"

She returned his grin "No, it'll be mine. Now shhh…"

He lay back, thinking this couldn't be any worse than the wildfire that had burned through him when he'd received the sword; and if it meant him staying alive and with Jay and finding his way back to his brother then any pain would be worth it…but he'd forgotten how Jay tended to understate things; and as the pain tore into him, slicing into his flesh and ripping into his muscles, the needle-like jabs piercing his organs as she lifted Gabe's shield and slipped her _own _protection underneath it, he believed her _'it may hurt some' _was the understatement of the century.

--------------------

Sam and Zeke were sitting on their steeds, watching God's Army go through their paces, smiles on their faces as they saw the charges executed with perfect precision. It was like a graceful dance, each step performed expertly, a faultless choreography that would be enacted with deadly force.

Zeke turned to Sam and laughed "By Jove! I think they've got it!" he stopped laughing and cocked his head.

"What?" asked Sam urgently "What is it?"

A slow smile spread across Zeke's lips "I just felt, Jay"

Sam frowned "You did? But I thought you _couldn't,_ dude"

He grinned and slapped Sam on the shoulder "I know my sister, Sam. And I think she just placed a protection around Dean"

Sam started to smile then stopped "Zeke, if _you_ felt it…then who else did?"

_**To be continued…**_


	19. Twilight Hours

_(Disclaimer: Don't own anything Supernatural related; the following story and characters of Jay and Zeke are all mine)_

_(A/N: Quotes in the latter part of this chapter are taken from the Bible...I have made small adjustments to the quotes to make them fit the story...which is probably frowned upon by some...but I'm guessing 'they' won't be reading this story, so I'm safe)_

* * *

**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Nineteen.**

Dean lay on his back, gasping for air as Jay wiped the sweat from his brow "Easy now…" she whispered.

He looked into her concerned eyes "Ouch" he said softly as he gave her a small smile.

"Sorry" she leaned down and kissed him "How do you feel?"

"You mean apart from feeling like I've been hit by a semi?" she smiled and nodded "Like shit"

"Dean…"

He sat up slowly, closing his eyes as he listened to his body; he ached _everywhere _but he also felt something else, something that hadn't been there before Jay had placed the protection over him. He turned to her "I feel…weird. Like…" he shook his head "I don't know, like there's an…"

"Aura?" she asked.

Dean rolled his eyes "_Please _don't start going all 'new-age-guru' on me" he grinned at her "I _will_ divorce you"

"Dean…"

"Okay, okay…I don't know exactly…I just feel different. Good different..." he gave her his trademark grin "but you and I need to have a serious chat about your pain definitions, 'cause that hurt like a sonofabitch"

"Yeah, thought it might" she smiled "But you're safe now so it was worth it"

"Says you"

"Says me" said Jay with a smile "Now I believe you said something about…" she was interrupted by a loud and insistent knocking at their door "Go away!" she yelled.

"Ma'am…we have a problem" said a voice from the other side of the door.

"Ma'am..." whispered Jay "Can you believe this shit?" she pushed Dean as he laughed at her, got up and went to the door, opening it a fraction _"What?"_ she demanded of the demon standing to attention in front of her.

"Colonel Agares has requested yours and the General's presence. He asked me to express his urgency and to apologise for disturbing you"

Jay nodded "We'll be along shortly" he saluted and she returned it, trying not to roll her eyes as she closed the door behind him "I think the natives are restless" she said to Dean.

Dean got off the bed and looked at the uniforms and laughed as Jay groaned "They say black's slimming"

Jay raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing around her lips "Did you just call me fat, Dean Winchester?"

Dean began to back-pedal like there was no tomorrow; the one thing his father had drummed into him was to _never _answer that question in the affirmative, especially if you wanted to keep that whole breathing thing happening. He put his hands over his family jewels "Jesus! No _way! _I just…if you wear it…and turn sideways we won't be able to see you…and…and…" he shook his head and laughed softly "Stop messing with my head"

She grinned "Can't. It's too much fun"

He tossed her the uniform and grinned "Strip"

------------------------

Dean and Jay walked down the shadowy passageways, the darkened arteries of Hell pulsing with faint light from the intermittent fires that danced on the viscous walls as they made their way towards the chamber. They wore the black uniforms they'd been supplied, and carried the swords given to them by the Dark One, across their back; the demons they passed, feeling the power held within the swords and standing back accordingly.

They got to the room, one of the demons that was standing to attention outside, opening the door for them, with a salute. Dean glanced quickly at Jay as they entered, neither one of them having _any _idea as to what awaited them, but if Agares had requested their presence then they had guessed it had something to do with Kasdeya.

They were not prepared for the sight that greeted them when they entered the chamber; Agares had Kasdeya up against the wall, his sword held to the demons throat, while six other demons held off another four.

The remaining ten demons were standing to the side and watching the scene being played out in front of them; _The Fence Sitters, _thought Dean as he strode towards Agares and Kasdeya, pushing the wall of demons out of the way.

"_WHAT _is the meaning of this?" he demanded, his voice holding a dangerous lilt that got _everyone's _attention.

"Tell the General what you told me, _Kasdeya" _sneered Agares.

"YOU'RE INSANE!" Kasdeya yelled at Agares before turning his eyes to Dean "He's gone mad!"

"TELL HIM!" roared Agares, spittle flying from his lips as his fury boiled over.

Dean withdrew his sword from its scabbard, the blade singing as it was removed; the demons at Dean's back retreating quickly as they felt the power of the sword flow round the room "I think _my _sword might get him talking, Agares. Step back" Agares nodded, removing his sword as Dean put_ his_ sword to Kasdeya's throat "Now tell me, Kasdeya…what _is_ it that's pissed Agares off so much?"

Kasdeya pushed himself as far back against the wall as his body would allow, he knew where this sword had come from "I….never..." he stopped as Dean edged the sword a little deeper, just breaking the skin and Kasdeya started to sweat as what felt like acid burned into his flesh.

"Try again" said Dean quietly, his voice like liquid velvet as it washed menacingly over the demon.

The truth, or what he knew of it was all he could utter with the blade holding the power of life or death over him. "I didn't _say _anything but _he _believes I told him I wanted to start an uprising…" he tried to swallow but the sword at his throat and the lack of moisture in his mouth prevented him from doing it; fear drove him forward though and his rage built within him as he cowered in front of the man he had sworn to hunt down and kill for making him the laughing stock of his army a year ago "I _swear _to you, I said _NO _such thing!"

Dean cocked his head "Well one of you is lying. And going on past deeds, Agares is the more trustworthy of you both…so where _does _that leave us?" he asked, a nasty grin rising to his lips.

"That's quite the conundrum, General" said Jay "We battle the War of all Wars tomorrow and here we are, trying to sort out domestics" she turned to the other demons in the room "Is it just me or does no one else see the bigger picture here?"

"No, Ma'am" said the demons in unison.

Agares stepped forward "I speak the truth" he said evenly.

"I tend to believe you, Agares" said Jay.

"HE LIES!" yelled Kasdeya.

"I SPEAK THE TRUTH!" the demon roared. "We fight for the under-realm! Not for personal gain, _Kasdeya! _Hell, is where our loyalty lies and if the Dark Lord has put them at our command, who are we to question _him?" _

Dean leaned in close, his hazel eyes flashing dangerously "Seems you're the only one that hasn't come to the party, Kasdeya." he cocked his head "You still pissed about that dagger I threw at you? Still pissed that you couldn't kill two mortals a year ago? That we made the army see you for the fool you are?" he laughed softly "And now I _command_ you. Life's a bitch ain't it?" he grabbed Kasdeya by the front of his uniform and slammed him face first onto the large meeting table, holding him down with his forearm "I know _all _about you, Kasdeya" he whispered into the demons ear "And the only reason you're not dead is that we battle tomorrow; but this will _not _go unpunished" he smiled "You're right handed, so you'll need that hand to hold your sword" he grabbed Kasdeya's left arm "We'll have someone strap a shield to your arm" and he raised his sword and bought it down quickly, the blade slicing cleanly through the demons wrist.

Kasdeya _howled _as his hand was cut free from his arm, the black blade burning into the flesh like a fire and bringing a blinding pain that made his body break out in a cold sweat. He stared at his hand that now sat, disjointed on the table near his head and the rage burned deep inside him. _He _would _pay _for maiming him. He vowed, if it was the last thing he ever did, he would kill Dean Winchester… and the battle tomorrow would provide the perfect opportunity…

Dean let go of Kasdeya and turned, addressing the demons closest to him "Get him out of here, fix the hand…"

"Stump" interrupted Jay with a smile.

Dean smiled in return "_Stump…_and bring him back here with all the documents we requested. We have work to do. You have half an hour" the demons grabbed Kasdeya and dragged him from the room. Dean looked at the hand that still sat on the desk "Get rid of that" and a demon stepped forward, grabbing the hand and throwing it into the pit at the far side of the room.

"Alright, lets get to work" said Jay, as she and Dean took their seats at the head of the table. It was time to organise the Infernal Army into cannon fodder.

----------------------

Sam and Zeke spent the morning running 'God's Army' through their paces before giving them the rest of the afternoon off. They wanted them relaxed and ready for the looming battle, but more than that, this was going to be the last day for many of them and it should be spent enjoying the company of others and the revelling in the world around them…'cause it could all be gone tomorrow.

They went over battle plans with the company commanders; ensuring everything was in place, that all factions of the army were prepared and that _nothing _had been overlooked. Tomorrow was _not _a time for mistakes or _'what ifs' _…there was no second chance here. They battled for mankind and their right to live in the world without fear or dominion. They were fighting the _good _fight.

Sam and Zeke were sitting in front of one of the many fires that littered the desert landscape, beers in hand as twilight snaked over the valley; they watched the people whose lives depended on the decisions they _had _made and the decisions they _would _make and as enormous a responsibility as that was, their thoughts were focussed on two others…two they would be facing off in battle tomorrow.

They had spread the word that Dean and Jay were _not _to be attacked by _anyone _in God's Army, that Sam and Zeke would be solely responsible for bringing them down. The presence of Gabriel and Raphael had ensured that the order would be strictly adhered to. Sam had selected a platoon that would lead the faux-assault on Dean and Jay; men they could trust, men who would take out the demons surrounding Dean and Jay but who would leave the final strike against them with Sam and Zeke.

"So if Jay won't let you kill Dean…" started Sam, he turned to Zeke "I told you I love her for that right?" he grinned.

Zeke laughed softly "Only about a thousand times"

"How are they going to get the army to turn?"

Zeke shook his head "Not sure, mate…I guess we just have to trust that they've got everything under control their end" he sipped at his beer "I'll try and make contact with her when the battle begins, the mayhem should give us some cover for that…but seriously…I don't have a clue" he looked at Sam "You remember that promise you made me" he said seriously.

Sam nodded "I need you to promise _me_ something…if I die…don't let Dean bring me back, don't let him sell his soul to bring me back" he looked at Zeke "You tell him I don't _want _that" he paused "tell him I want him to get out of the life, to start a new one…_that's _what he can do for me"

Zeke nodded and put his hand out "Deal"

Sam shook his hand "Deal"

Zeke looked at Sam and smiled "Sooo…Armageddon…"

Sam grinned "Arma-geddon out of here"

Zeke groaned and punched Sam on the shoulder "For shame"

Sam punched him back "You're just pissed 'cause I said it first, don't tell me _you _haven't been hanging to say…" he stopped as Zeke emptied his beer over Sam's head and laughed hysterically.

"No less than you deserve, mate" said Zeke with a grin.

Sam pushed his beer-soaked locks out of his face and grinned "Oh, it's on" and he jumped from the log he'd been sitting on and chased Zeke into the desert, ducking round people, leaping over fires and dodging those walking around, the two of them laughing like idiots. Zeke glanced back repeatedly, giving Sam the finger as he ran into the darkened desert, Sam hot on his heels.

Sam finally got close enough to throw himself at Zeke and tackled him the desert floor, sand whipping up around them as they wrestled.

"SAY UNCLE!" yelled Sam, as he held the beer bottle he'd been carrying during the whole chase, over Zeke's face.

Zeke grinned "AUNTY!"

Sam laughed "Your call" and he emptied the remaining beer over Zeke, the man spluttering between fits of laughter.

"_Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends"_

Sam and Zeke stopped their wrestling as the melodious voice floated on the winds and they shielded their eyes as a light, brighter than any they had seen before washed over them. Sam dropped the beer bottle as he got to his knees, Zeke kneeling next to him; their heads bowed and their eyes squeezed shut as the incandescent light pulsed brightly.

"_Open your eyes, children"_

Sam and Zeke did as they were told and smiled at the Angel before them; his flowing robes rustling around him, his four wings spread majestically behind him, each filament a perfect creation, his powerful energy radiating a peaceful hope that filled their senses and brought sweet smiles to the men's faces. They could see the Angel's face…but not…it was just a hint, a whisper of form but they _felt _the smile as it rained love down on them.

"_Be not afraid, for I bring word that He is pleased with the work you have done. He has asked much of you and you have given it willingly. Sacrifice is **often** asked, but this too must be given willingly, for if it is taken instead of given…a sacrifice it is not. _

Zeke looked up at the Angel "What is it you ask?"

They felt the warmth of that smile again _"It is not I that asks, but He who is the Bringer of Life, the Giver of Love, the Creator of all that is good"_

"What does He ask?" asked Sam, trepidation settling in the pit of his stomach.

"_Heed His words…. 'So it will be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power'"_

The warmth spread through their bodies, coursing through their veins and filling them with exalted virtue; ridding them of any doubt that this was the way it had to be _"This is the word of God"_

"Thanks be to Him" said Zeke softly.

The Angel smiled down on the two men, two of the four that had been chosen before their birth to bring the Dark One to his knees. He understood their confusion, their trepidation at what was to come and what fate beheld their siblings; but like his Father, he had faith in them and faith in the two that had been sent to battle from the other side….and faith was what this battle was all about. He couldn't give them the assurances they so wanted; that wasn't why he was here, he was here to bring them the courage, the strength and the _will _to see this through to the end, no matter the cost.

"_I am the right hand of God" _he said, his voice like chimes carrying on the delicate desert breeze _"The Lord will roar from Zion, will thunder from the heavens, the earth and the sky will tremble, but the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for his people and we will __**smite**__ those that embrace the darkness and poison all that He cherishes"_

Sam looked up at the Angel and before he could ask the question, he had the answer.

"_My name is Michael"_

------------------------------

Jay and Dean had finally retired to their quarters; they had spent the day on the grey, desolate plains of Hell, watching over their army, making subtle changes that would give Sam and Zeke a greater chance of manoeuvring _their_ army into a position that would decimate the Infernal Army. It had been a risky business but sitting astride the enormous black stallions, their swords pulsing with an evil luminescence, their orders had not been questioned. They had moved the army effectively, creating an aura of trust and respect among the army and from what their under-command had told them, they would be followed into battle with obedient reverence.

They lay in bed, their food left uneaten on the table; Armageddon would begin tomorrow and they would be leading the charge. Selected from the beginning to be the ones that would usurp the Dark Lord's power and bring _true _chaos to the under-realm; their life merely a journey of experiences leading them to each other and to this point; their souls walking a knife edge as the Apocalypse drew near. Neither one aware of the perils that awaited them but neither one aware of the one that watched over them; the one that had been placed in this forsaken abyss from the dawn of time, a tormented life that weighed heavily on him, a burden he endured as he waited for their arrival; accepting his mission with grace as he awaited his charges.

"You stay beside me the whole time" whispered Dean "I watch your back, you watch mine…it's just you and me out there, Jay…we trust _no-one"_

Jay nodded as she nestled against Dean, his arms held protectively around her "We get through this and that's it. No more. You, me, Zeke and Sam…we disappear" she looked at him "Promise me"

He smiled at her "I promise"

"I mean it" she said.

"So do I, babe. I mean, if we survive the Apocalypse I think we've paid our dues" he grinned "And if you're good, I may even scam us a crappy motel to live in"

Jay laughed "Motel? Screw that, babe…I want something from out of 'The Shining'"

Dean laughed softly "I remember that place had an awesome bar" he grinned cheekily "But I'm _not _getting you a red-trike to ride"

Jay smiled "Aww…and here I was thinking you loved me"

He looked at her, all humour now gone from his eyes "I _do _love you, Jay. You remember that and you take that into battle" he kissed her passionately, not wanting to let her go, not wanting to go to sleep…for tomorrow would be the day that sealed not only their fate, but that of mankind.

Tomorrow…Armageddon…

_**To be continued…**_


	20. Dawn of The Apocalypse

_(Disclaimer: Don't own anything; the following story and characters of Jay and Zeke are all mine)_

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Twenty.**

_They knelt in front of the Father; their heads bowed to their creator as they confessed their sins and asked for courage and guidance to help them see their charges through the battle that had been predicted since __**he **__was first cast from the heavens. _

_Their tears joined those of their maker as they wept for those that had already lost the battle and for those that would not survive it. Each loss striking deep into their hearts; a painful ache at their failure ...an ache that brought about a ready resolve to lose no more to the darkness._

_The winged-ones were overcome with a blinding sense of love and compassion as the blessing of The Almighty rained down on them; filling them with the courage and faith they needed to see this war through to the end…the same courage and faith they would pass onto to those with which they battled. _

_And three rose; stepping forward as they took to one knee, bowing their heads again…Michael, Gabriel and Raphael…the highest ranking of all Angels, the ones most privy to His word; the ones charged with guiding the four chosen ones. They smiled as they felt the hand of God settle on them; their work only now beginning as the battle for mankind dawned._

_Michael rose first; his four wings spreading delicately behind him; Gabriel and Raphael standing next, their wings spread gracefully as they were humbled before their God. Line after line of Angels rose…their wings held aloft, their souls and their swords blessed…the Holy Warriors now battle ready._

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_The dark warriors watched under lowered brow as their Master tore into being; his mortal flesh falling free in bloody scraps as his true form ripped into the under-realm with a roar. They cowered in front of him; the fear sweeping like a wave through them as they witnessed the impious birth of the Dark Lord. _

_His Generals standing either side of him; resplendent in their black uniforms; their shoulders back; their heads held high; their faces impassive…not an ounce of fear touching them. Their leaders were battle ready and the Dark LordsArmy would take their cues from them._

_There were no battle speeches given by the Dark One; his purpose, his mission had been drummed into them from the beginning of their existence; They knew what was expected of them and they knew the punishment should they fail. The razor sharp talons that pierced his palms as his fists clenched; the blood that dribbled down his chin from the serrated teeth that stabbed at his lips and were licked clean by his forked tongue; the cloven-claws that sank deep into the earth; his muscles that quivered in excitement and throbbed in depravity as he thundered his intent; told them all they needed to know._

_The Infernal Army were ready for battle._

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The heavens rumbled as the pristine clouds tumbled against each other, rolling through the azure sky as the sun began to meander over the dunes; bringing light and warmth to the sandy, desolate landscape. An eagle soared overhead, its lonely call announcing the arrival of daybreak with an eerie melancholy…this, the dawn of the Apocalypse.

The valley was filled with thousands upon thousands of soldiers; cavalry and infantry in their divisions; fanning out on the enormous barren stretch of hard-packed sand that was surrounded by high rocky crags. Rocky crags that held those that would lauch their attack from hiding.

God's Army stood; battle ready and waiting for the arrival of the Infernal Army. They looked towards the two men at the front of the army; sitting astride their stallions in the white uniforms provided by the two Angels that were flanking their leaders. The two men they would follow into battle; the two men with whom they had trust and respect and the unshakeable belief that they would lead them to victory. They were not naïve in thinking they would all survive this war; they knew there would be casualties, _severe _casualties but that was the price of war and they were willing to _pay_ that price to ensure mankind survived.

There had been no pre-battle speeches; the Angels had said prayers with them; taken confession when it was asked but the blessing placed over them by Raphael and Gabriel brought a deep sense of peace to them; it was all they needed.

The army's attention was brought to the fore as a booming crack echoed round the barren surroundings; the cavalry holding tight to their horses as they stamped their hooves; tossing their heads as the air on the opposite side of the valley started to fracture.

"STEADY!" yelled Sam as he heard the cavalry horses behind him start to excite "HOLD THEM STEADY!"

Zeke looked over at Sam; his stomach fluttering but unable to hide the smile at seeing his sister again, no matter the circumstance "They're coming"

Sam returned his smile, nodding as he patted his horse, calming _him_ as he waited impatiently to see his brother "I'm gonna try not to wave"

Zeke laughed "I'm gonna try and not bounce up and down in my saddle"

Gabriel looked over at the two men who were unable to hide their grins "You _do _realise where you are"

"Uh huh. Armageddon" said Sam with a grin.

"The Apocalypse" said Zeke, smiling wide "Big battle; lots of horses and swords and stuff"

"I hear there's gonna be demons too" laughed Sam.

"Demons?" gasped Zeke "No one told me!"

"Oh very funny" said Gabriel; looking past them to Raphael who was trying not laugh "Raphael?"

"Oh come on, Gabe" he grinned "Live a little" he smirked "No pun intended"

"Well if I could direct your attention" said Gabe as he pointed.

The air on the far side of the valley tore open; pulling apart, wider and wider as the valley was filled with the sounds of howling winds and mournful cries as they looked into a darkness that was blacker than black. The smiles fell from Sam and Zeke's faces as the memories of their time in Hell came crashing back; the pain, the suffering, the fight for survival that had almost cost them, Dean and Jay their lives a year ago.

Their backs straightened, their shoulders squared, their jaws set as the thunderous sound of hooves began to echo through the valley; a deep rumbling that rolled like waves through the fractured air, getting louder and louder as the rip in space widened, tearing open until it was almost a mile wide.

"HOLD!" yelled Zeke as the ground began to shake beneath them, the booming sound of hooves like detonations as they neared the rift. His heart was racing in time with the hooves…any minute now he'd see Jay; he didn't care that he was facing off against her in battle…he just wanted to make sure she was okay.

And then she was there; she and Dean riding ahead of a monstrous army; their armoured black stallions racing forward; dark tails whipping out behind them, nostrils flaring as they lead a seemingly unending line of soldiers into the realm.

---------------------------------------------------

Dean and Jay broke through the rift; their eyes taking a minute to adjust from the darkness to the light as they led the Infernal Army into the upper-realm. They could feel the horses muscles rippling underneath them as they charged forward; their backs held straight; their heads high, mirroring their brothers as they scanned the army in laid out in front of them, looking for their family. They held back their smiles and hid their joy as they saw Sam and Zeke sitting on white stallions at the front of the Holy Army; Gabriel on one side of them and, they assumed, another Angel on the other; an epic army, clothed in the same white uniforms as their brothers fanning out behind them.

They galloped forward onto the battlefield; Dean finally raising his hand and bringing the Infernal Army to a stop; their horses snorting loudly as they tossed their heads; the two armies standing on either side of a great divide; weighing up their enemy as they waited for the moment their Generals would give the order to advance.

Agares rode up next to Dean and reigned in his horse "General" Dean turned to him "The Army is in formation and ready at your command" his eyes bored into Dean's "At _your _command"

Dean nodded "My orders regarding our brothers?"

"Will be adhered to without question" he answered "No one but you and the General will bring about their deaths. They understand the consequences if they disobey. I will ride with another into battle with you …"

"That was not an order we issued" said Jay.

Agares nodded "I understand, Ma'am; but he and I will protect you and we'll make no strike against your …_brothers" _

"Where is he?" asked Dean.

Agares turned and motioned to a heavily armoured demon, who rode forward and took his place next to Jay; she could see nothing but shadows through the full-face helmet he wore. "He's trustworthy?" asked Jay.

"I stake my life on it" said Agares.

"You understand what is expected of you?" Jay asked the demon.

He nodded; a muffled "Yes, Ma'am" barely filtering through his helmet.

She nodded "I'll kill you myself if you step out of line" he nodded again.

They looked towards the heavens as a deep rumbling sounded; the clouds tumbling in on each other, rolling over and over as lightening cracked loudly. The clouds parted; a brilliant, incandescent light filling the sky as the sound of more hooves reverberated through the realm.

Dean turned to Agares "Summon the ones from _'The Abyss'!" _yelled Dean over the roar of the incoming Angels; drawing his sword as Jay did.

Agares signalled to his right and a howl erupted from the rift; the ground shaking as the first of demons dragged their bulbous, black bodies from the Abyss; clawing their way free of the dark pits in which they dwelled; the stink of sulphur permeating around them as they; the _'fallen ones' _were pitted against those that had once been their brothers.

Dean looked over at Jay; her sword drawn as she held her horse back; the stallion champing at the bit; his hooves stamping as he felt the tension build between the two armies. He smiled at her as she looked over, mouthing _'you and me' _to him; he nodded and mouthed _'I love you' _back, neither of them noticing the slight widening of the eyes of the unnamed demon that sat next Jay.

Dean raised his sword and turned his attention to the Holy Army that sat across the plain from them; he switched into battle mode; the change like a beacon to those around and behind him and the Army tensed as the adrenalin kicked in and they watched their Generals and waited.

And as the Angels thundered from the heavens; their brilliant white steeds aglow with golden manes and tails galloped towards the battlefield; Dean shifted higher on his horse; raised his dark sword towards the sky and roared …_"CHAAARGE!"._

The two black stallions that bore the Generals of the Infernal Army reared; their front hooves kicking out before crashing back to earth and thundering forward; racing full-speed towards the two white stallions that carried the leaders of the Holy Army. Brother versus brother…brother versus sister in a battle that would forever change the world and all those in it.

Armageddon had begun…

_**To be finalised.**_

_

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_

_(A/N: Sorry folks, just a short lead-up chapter this time as I believe the main battle deserved its own chapter. If you'll bear with me, it should be up by the end of the week)_


	21. Armageddon Part One

_(Disclaimer: Don't own anything; the following story and characters of Jay and Zeke are all mine)_

_(A/N: Well this chapter turned out to be **much **longer than I anticipated so I've broken it into two parts. Just tying up some loose ends in the second part, so please enjoy part one. Part two will be up soon. Thanks for sticking with it!)_

* * *

**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Twenty-One.**

Armageddon. The Apocalypse. Final Judgement. End Times. Good vs Evil. Day of Reckoning. Call it what you will. It was what it was. And when it came right down to it, it amounted to the same thing. War. The war to end all wars? Maybe. The war that would define a new world? Absolutely.

There are countless players in this war…the numbers innumerable. Everyone plays a part, no matter how small and each one will fight their own battle. There are no fence-sitters during The Apocalypse. During this war, there is _only _black and white. Good versus Evil. Pick a side.

But there are those whose lives have been destined from the minute they drew first breath, to wage the war and be drowned in the blood of battle. Their lives placed on paths that would ultimately bring them together and could forever tear them apart. It is them we will follow into battle.

Faith…courage…determination…love ….sacrifice; the weapons of the righteous.

Impiety…corruption…hatred…depravity…sinfulness; the weapons of the demonic.

Each weapon as powerful as the other. Each wielded with the same unshakeable belief that _their _dogma was the way, that _they _would be the victor in this war. The spoils of battle? The realm and all in it.

The weight of the world literally placed on the shoulders of the chosen few.

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The order had been given.

Armageddon had begun.

The armies charged; the sound of thousands of horses thundering towards each other, shaking the ground beneath almost drowned out the battle cries from both sides. Two giant waves, one black, one white, racing towards each other in what could only be a cataclysmic explosion when they met.

The adrenalin was rushing through the bodies of all on the battle field; a natural drug that coursed through veins, raced hearts, tingled nerves, tensed muscles and burst from throats in rancorous roars. Swords were held high; reins held tight as the horses streaked forward, their flanks white with sweat as they snorted their intent. The adrenalin from their riders transferring to them as they picked up their speed. Any minute now they would be in the midst of battle…

Dean galloped towards the advancing army, his sword held high, his roar of _'CHARGE' _still echoing round the battlefield. The stallions hooves rumbled underneath him; the horse's mane like wisps of smoke on the wind, its whinny a scream on the air. Dean's eyes never left those of his brother as they charged towards each other. Sammy. He couldn't hide his smile this time. Sammy on a brilliant white stallion; his sword held aloft leading God's Army into battle; he'd never been prouder.

Jay raced forward; her horse thundering underneath her; her attention focussed solely on her brother who was racing forward from the other side of the battlefield. His enormous form unmistakeable on the pristine white stallion; the Holy Army, a white ocean behind him as he led them into battle. Zeke. She didn't bother hiding her smile this time and she grinned as Zeke smiled at her. Her brother was here and everything was going to be okay.

Sam's eyes hadn't left his brother from the moment he'd entered the valley; and as he raced towards him he let the smile he'd been holding in, rise to the surface and he laughed as he saw Dean grin at him. A grin he hadn't seen for far too long. He kicked at his steed, urging it forward; two brothers fighting from different sides but two brothers who would _always _be on the same side and _nothing _was going to stop him from ensuring Dean made it through this battle. _Nothing. _

Zeke could see nothing but his sister galloping towards him. He didn't see the sea of demons at her back. He didn't see the monstrous hellion that charged towards the incoming Angels; he didn't even see Dean. His sister…Jay…_Jay _was here and although she raced towards him, her sword held high as she led the Infernal Army against him…he'd never loved her more. She would live through this, he'd make sure of it. _No one _would harm his sister.

The battle roars increased in fervour as the mile that had separated the two armies shrank. The combatants closing in on each other…each legion taking their designated position; each soldier picking their first target and charging forward.

And as the wall of warriors met, crashed against one another; the battlefield burst to life. The air was charged with the sounds of battle. It was electric. It made the hair on your arms stand on end and every sense come alive. A cacophony of sound; sword clanging against sword, sword striking against armour; the war-cries of the living and those cut short by the blade; the thundering of thousands of feet as demon fought mortal and Angel alike. Horse hooves rattled the ground as their snorting and whinnies carried on the wind, mixing with the roar of thousands of voices screaming their fury and venting their wrath. Blood soaked the ground beneath their feet, collecting in great pools around the fallen, turning the earth into a quagmire of sand, blood and sweat. The smell of the dead and the dying hung heavily in the air, cloying the nostrils and catching in the back of the throat. The conflict assaulted every sense. It was seen and smelled, heard, felt and tasted by every combatant. It was an all-encompassing battle and _no-one _would be the same afterwards.

Dean, Jay, Sam and Zeke crashed into one another; fighting with feigned fury. Their powerful swords, blessed by God and the Devil themselves clanged louder than those of the others around them; sparks flying with every strike made. They circled each other; their horses were battle trained and moved without instruction, giving their rider the best position from which to strike.

Demons and mortals fought around them; the squad selected by Sam and Zeke making sure no-one made a strike at Dean or Jay. Agares and the other demon protecting their Generals as they fought against their brothers.

Dean bought his sword down hard against Sam's "You feel that one, little _brother?" _he grinned.

"Not even close, Dean" yelled Sam, grinning in return as they kept up the pretence of battle "You made the wrong choice, dude. You're fighting on a _losing _side"

Dean laughed "Oh, Sammy…always the optimist" he swung his sword up, blocking a slice from Sam "We are gonna _tear _this army apart and the Dark Lord will rule!" and he struck out again.

"Over my dead body" said Sam, blocking Dean's next strike.

Dean grinned "Okay" and he and Sam locked horns.

Jay swung again and again at Zeke "Well this _is _fun!" she said with a grin "Finally getting to put my gigantic _brother _on his arse!"

Zeke blocked another strike from Jay and struck back "Ain't gonna happen, Jay" he swung again as their horses fought for the best position on the field "I _will _take you down. You chose the wrong side"

Jay laughed "I chose the _winning _side, _Zeke. _This realm will be _ours_. You mark my words!" she swung out at him again as she heard Zeke in her head.

_I know you have a plan, sis. I know you put the protection over Dean, he's safe. But you __**watch **__your back. I can only do so much and if one of us doesn't take the other out soon, they'll start to wonder. So **get** organised! Too much blood has been spilled already. _

Jay smiled "Won't be long til you feel my sword drive through you. _Soon,_ Zeke" and the two, brother and sister, fought with renewed vigour.

_Love you, sis. _said Zeke as he struck out hard at her.

Jay smiled and hacked at her brother "Backatchya"

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Sam surveyed the carnage around him; demon, mortal and horse lying dead and dying on the ground. The ground that was now thick with the blood of the fallen. The stench of death hung heavily in the air; blood soaked warriors picking up swords of the fallen and fighting with unmitigated fury. Swords flew through the air, arcs of blood following them as they found their mark. No ground was given; the gladiators were an unmoveable force, pushing against the other as they fought for dominance. It was time. He turned quickly, blocking a strike from Dean "NOW BOBBY!" he yelled and struck back at his brother.

Bobby nodded and charged across the battleground; hacking left and right as he took out demon after demon; his sword and extension of himself as raced towards the left flank, issuing the command. The left flank turned and galloped after Bobby, crashing into the middle of the Infernal Army. The demons that had been fighting the fleeing army hesitated; their eyes slowly rising as they saw, too late, the thousand of arrows spearing towards them. They fell by the hundreds as the legions that lined the crags rose from their position and shot arrow after arrow, taking out the right flank of the Infernal Army.

"GUS!" yelled Zeke and Gus raced towards the right flank mirroring Bobby as the right flank changed direction, following Gus as the arrows flew into the left flank of the Infernal Army. Zeke turned to Jay "Surprise" he grinned.

Jay turned to the demon at her side "Get the Infantry to reinforce the holes!" he hesitated "NOW!" she yelled, blocking a strike from Zeke as the demon turned and raced back into the army.

"Losing the battle, _General?" _queried Gabriel as he circled the squad, taking out the demons that tried to make their way through.

"I'm coming for YOU next, _Angel!" _she yelled back; trying not to laugh as he winked at her.

"You _see _our Warriors are making short work of your so-called 'shadow demons'" said Gabe.

"Your _brothers, _you mean!" laughed Jay.

Gabe's face darkened "Surrender! Go back to your HELL!"

"NEVER!" yelled Dean "THIS REALM IS OURS!"

"Hardly" laughed Sam "You'll NEVER get it!" he slashed at his brother, catching him across the arm and Dean roared as he felt the skin burn. But the protection Jay had placed over him kicked in and the wound healed immediately.

"You'll PAY for that!" yelled Dean, giving Sam a subtle nod to let him know he was okay.

_Jay…come ON, sis. Turn the army…do what you have to to make them turn NOW! I got your back._

Jay laughed at her brother "I'm a little bored, Zeke. Time to …" she stopped and looked down, wondering why there was an arrowhead poking through her chest. That wasn't supposed to be there. Oh look, another one…and another. How'd that happen? She raised her eyes to Zeke's, confusion on her face as she dropped her sword and fell from her horse.

"JAY!" yelled Zeke.

"STAY ON YOUR HORSE!" yelled Raphael as he grabbed Zeke "You _stay _on your horse…_now _we battle. She'll be fine. She _heals_ remember?" whispered Raphael into Zeke's ear.

Dean turned as if in slow motion and stared disbelievingly at the arrow that had pierced Jay's back; he yelled as another drove itself through her…then another. "NO!" he roared as she fell from her horse. He galloped towards her and yelled again as he saw Kasdaya run forward, hesitate briefly before picking up Jay's sword, screaming in agony as the power of the sword burnt into him. He raised it high and drove it through Jay's chest.

Jay screamed; her body convulsing around the sword that pinned her to the earth; she looked round frantically for Dean as she tried to pull the sword out, her hands slipping on the blood-coated blade. "Out…gotta…get…it out…" she stammered; and then Dean was there.

"Jay…no..."

"S'alright" she whispered as blood trickled from her mouth "Wasn't quite how ...we planned it but…works the same ...way"

"No, no…it was supposed to be me" he brushed her hair from her face "Not you, baby. Not you"

"Dean…it's time…turn them…now, babe"

"I can't leave you. Not here, not like this" he said and gently removed the sword from her chest and Jay gasped as blinding pain ripped through her "Shhh, baby" said Dean as he held her "I got you"

"I …know…be fine. You know …I will" she used the last of her strength to push him gently away "Now… kiss me …and ….go" she said; her eyes starting to close.

"Don't you die on me!" he yelled.

Jay opened her eyes and smiled sadly at him "Babe..."

He leant down and brushed his lips across hers, holding her tight and telling her he loved her before laying her down gently "You wait for me"

"Always" she smiled; closing her eyes as she heard Zeke screaming her name.

Dean kissed her one last time, his forehead resting against hers as she took her last breath. She would never take another. He turned, a rage burning so deep it engulfed every part of him.

Kasdeya fell to his knees in front of Dean; blood pouring from his mouth, ears and nose. He looked at Dean, a bloodied smile on his lips "She can't rise from _that _mortal!" he laughed, blood flying from his lips "I told you I would make you pay! I would _have _my revenge! Your beloved is _dead! _AND I WILL _DESTROY _THIS ARMY BEFORE I ALLOW IT TO BE LED BY YOU!!_" _

He yelled as the poison from Jay's sword starting to burn into him but it wasn't that poison that killed him; it was the three swords that were driven into him with such force; he was torn apart. Dean, Zeke and Sam hacking into Kasdeya until there was nothing left but scattered body parts.

Dean felt nothing but a white, hot fury fill him. They'd killed Jay; they'd killed his wife and they would _pay. Everyone _would pay. No one would be left standing. He would fight until they killed him; _that _was how it was going to end. "Agares! My legions!" he yelled as he strode towards horse.

"At your command, General!" he said, his face filled with rage "We will _avenge _our Generals' murder!"

Sam came over with six men "Guard her" he ordered, pointing to Jay. "_No one_ touches her"

"LEGIONS!" yelled Dean addressing his army "WE HAVE BEEN BETRAYED FROM WITHIN!" he pointed his sword to the legions at Kasdeya's and Malphas' command "THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR GENERAL! THEY HAVE BETRAYED THE DARK LORD! PUNISHMENT IS DEATH!"

His legions roared, they had seen the murder of their General, heard the words issued by Kasdeya and they were consumed with rage as they realised they'd been betrayed. They would follow their General into battle against their own.

Dean charged through the army, his legions clearing a path as he and Agares galloped towards the middle of the Infernal Army. Dean turned to Agares "Where the fuck was that asshole that was supposed to be protecting her?" he seethed.

"She sent him back with orders" said Agares "Here he comes now" he pointed.

Dean raised his sword, determined to kill the demon that had left Jay vulnerable. He turned as Agares placed a hand on his arm "I'd strongly advise against that"

"You don't…." Dean stopped as the demons eyes changed from the black pits he was used to seeing, to that of a brilliant blue, before returning to black again.

"I have been your protector since you arrived. He is on our side, trust me" said Agares with a smile "Now lets take this army down"

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_The Dark Lord stood high on the rocky outcropping, surveying the battle below, a malevolent smile on his lips as his army battled with the holy ones for dominance…for the right to take the realm as his own. His Generals had led the Army into the battle formations that would effect the most casualties and he smiled as the smell of death and blood floated towards him. Breathing in the sweet stench and laughing as he saw Gods soldiers fall under his demons swords._

_He turned and watched as the Angels and the Fallen Ones met in a mighty clash. The explosion of the righteous against the damned reverberating around the valley and over the dunes; echoing deeply in all those that inhabited this realm. The war between the blessed and the forever cursed resounding through the souls of all as the Angels battled against those that had once been their brothers._

_He stroked himself as he watched Angels fall to the dark swords of their enemy; the death of his warriors nothing more than a casualty of war. He didn't care if he lost __**all **__of the Fallen One's …they'd have served the purpose for which they were destined. Killing those that thought them better than he. He would destroy the rest….no, he'd __**enslave **__the remaining Angels once he took his rightful place as ruler of all creation._

_His eyes were drawn left as he heard the sound of arrows in flight; then right as the sound rushed in again…his left and right flanks falling to the poisoned tipped missiles that had been launched from the rocky crags that encircled the battlefield._

_He roared as he watched his army fall; looking towards his Generals and smiling as he saw one give an order to her subordinate; an order that was carried through as his army was spread wide to combat the Holy Army that was trying to push through. They were still in control…his judgement had been correct when he'd selected these two. They were fighting a strenuous battle with their brothers, the swords they carried a match for the ones he'd bestowed on his Generals. He smiled; he would relish the moment his Generals bought them down._

_The smile vanished as he saw one of his Generals taken in the back; he scanned the area below him, looking for the traitor. He roared as he saw the General fall, his other General forgetting the battle as his beloved had been felled. But none of that mattered as he saw his saw pure fury on his face as he galloped towards his other. __**Now **__the man would destroy all those that fought against him. He threw his head back and roared for the triumph that was to come; ecstasy flooding through him as he felt his dominance rise over the one that had cast him from the Heavens. _

_He lowered his head in time to see Kasdeya deliver a strike that ensured the General would not rise. He stared in disbelief as one of his most trusted demons, turned against him and killed his General, effectively killing himself. He shook his head…as he watched the brothers tear Kasdeya apart before …before….no…no….his General had snapped. Betrayed…__**that **__was he word he heard yelled from his General's lips…and he roared in rage as he saw his army turned against itself._

_His General was leading an attack against the Infernal Army…the legions…__**his **__legions following their General; taking their cues from a leader that was now betraying __**HIM. **__He roared again; the guttural language spewing from his lips; and he raised a taloned-hand, directing it towards his General. He watched, a sneer on his malformed lips as the dark light shot from his hand, flying over the army and towards the man..._

_**To REALLY be finalised…**_


	22. Armageddon Part Two

_(Disclaimer: Don't own anything; the following story and characters of Jay and Zeke are all mine)_

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**Armageddon.**

**Chapter Twenty-Two.**

Dean charged towards the Infernal Army; Agares and the demon flanking him as his legions followed their General into battle against their own kind. Dean looked up as he heard a shout of warning but it was too late; the dark orb of light took him in the chest. He was shifted in his saddle but that was it. Jay's protection had rendered the dark one's magic useless against him. The magic couldn't attack itself; it _absorbed _the impact…strengthened it. Even now she was still watching over him. He raised Jay's sword and pointed at Satan before bringing it down and slicing through the first of countless demons that would fall to his blades.

The orders had gone out to the Holy Army that part of the Infernal Army had turned…as planned and they were to fight alongside those legions; taking out the remaining army before turning on those demons that had followed Dean.

Dean turned to Agares "Can you tell Gabe to bring the Infantry to the left flank? I want these assholes boxed in! There will be NO retreat!"

Agares nodded "It's done"

Dean hacked and sliced into the Infernal Army; his swords swinging left and right as the black blades cut cleanly through the armour. It was no protection against the power of his and Jay's swords and he cut a swathe through the army; roaring in rage as he took out his fury, his grief on the demons that had bought about Jay's death. He saw nothing but his enemy; felt nothing but insurmountable rage and he embraced it. He was the Reaper. Dean smiled.

The Infernal Army was in confusion; their own had turned against them and their General was leading the attack. His horse kicked out and trampled demons underfoot as the man's swords …swords…he had their other Generals sword which could mean only one thing. The General had snapped and his legions were following him. They turned towards the Dark Lord and watched as his power was thrown at the General. It had no effect. And confusion was now turning to fear as they were surrounded…the howls of the last of the 'Fallen Ones' screaming over them as the Angels defeated those from 'The Abyss' and joined the battle against them.

They were hit from all sides; arrows raining down from above as Angel, mortal and demon decimated them. They would not surrender and they could not retreat. They tripped over the bodies of their comrades; the thick, blood-soaked mud at their feet slowing their progress as they fought for any way through the battle; their numbers dwindling as they fought to the death.

Sam led his legions in from the left flank, Gabe at his side as they crashed into the Infernal Army; Bobby riding up next to him as they felled demon after demon. Their uniforms now stained red from the blood of their enemy; not noticing their own wounds as they roared in righteous rage. Sam saw a demon run at Dean and kicked at his horse, charging towards the demon and slicing its head from its shoulders as it threw itself at his brother. Dean turned, gave Sam a short smile and nod before turning back to battle…now fighting alongside his brother. Sam smiled.

Raphael and Gus flanked Zeke as they galloped in from the right flank, hitting the Infernal Army with a crash. Zeke was in a pure rage; his sister was dead and he wouldn't stop until _every_ demon was dead as well. He swung his swords and opened his mind; finally unleashing the one power that he had refused to accept. And as his swords arced with perfect precision, hacking, slicing, stabbing at demon after demon, …he turned his eyes to others in the ranks. The demons didn't know what was happening to them, the blinding pain was short-lived as their brains exploded within their skulls, dropping them where they stood. Zeke smiled.

Dean and Sam worked in perfect unison; no demon got close unless they let them and then it only resulted in the hellion's death. They were spattered in the blood and gore of their enemy and it spurred them on. And when they reached the middle of the battleground, joining up with Zeke; Sam gave the order and the Holy Army turned on the Infernal one.

"NO ONE TOUCHES THESE TWO!" yelled Dean, pointing to Agares and the demon at his side.

Gabriel smiled at Agares "Uriel. It has been too long"

Uriel smiled as his eyes changed to the blue of his brothers; his face seeming to take on a symmetry, to beautify. His wings burst from his black uniform and he grinned "We still have work to do Gabe" and he charged into battle.

Sam looked over at Dean "An Angel?"

"Looks like" said Dean and he roared as he followed Uriel and Gabriel back to war.

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_The Dark Lord watched as his army was annihilated; his body shaking with uncalculated rage, his mind refusing to accept the inevitable. No, he shook his head, no…this was __**his **__time! __**He **__was the rightful ruler of this realm! He raged his fury, turning his power on those that littered the crags; the rocks crumbling under his onslaught; the archers falling to their deaths; crushed under the weight of the stones. _

_He turned as he heard the last of his 'Fallen Ones' yell cut short; the Angels now joining the melee below him. His Army was losing…his demons stood no chance against this onslaught. His howl screamed out over the valley, increasing in intensity as he saw wings burst from one of his demons …__**his **__demon and understanding slammed into him as what was left of his treacherous army was attacked by his __**General. **__No, not __**his **__General…he'd been __**tricked! Him! **__He the Father of Darkness, the Bringer of Chaos, the Slayer of Angels…tricked by two mortals! _

_He thundered his fury; his wrathful vehemence; the ground shaking underneath him and he raised his hands; calling on the fires of his home; insane laughter bursting from him as waited…waited for the deaths of all those below him._

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The remnants of the Infernal Army were in disarray. Their General had turned against them; one of their own was an Angel …and the Dark Lord would not help them. Not now. They knew what awaited them and a fear greater than any they'd known washed over them. Many took their own lives but as the ground rumbled underneath them…began to tear part; the earth zig-zagging between them…a new, _greater _fear took hold. They would be taken to 'The Abyss'…the depths that spawned '_those that could not be named'._

They ran. Driving themselves onto the swords of their enemy. Anything would be better than what awaited them should they fall.

Dean, Sam and Zeke felt the first rumblings; saw the earth start to split; fire begin to lick through the cracks that snaked over the ground and reigned in their horses.

"RETREAT!" Uriel's voice boomed over the valley and the Holy Army turned as one; those on horseback gathering those they could; the infantry clambering onto the horses as they raced to safety.

Sam and Zeke turned; kicking at their stallions as they galloped from the fracturing earth. Sam turned and pulled his horse round, racing back to his brother.

Dean sat on his horse, watching the earth open before him; demons plunging into the depths, their horrified screams waning as they plummeted. He wouldn't scream when his time came.

"DEAN!" yelled Sam, yanking on his brothers arm "WE HAVE TO GO!"

Dean turned his face to Sam's and Sam froze; he'd never seen his brother like this "Dean…"

"Go Sammy" he smiled at his brother.

"Not without you" he said.

Dean shook his head "This is what I want. Don't argue with me, Sammy"

"Fuck that, Dean" he said, grabbing his brother by the front of his shirt and pulling his face to his "YOU GET YOUR ASS OUT OF HERE!"

Dean pushed Sam gently away "Not gonna happen, dude" he smiled "Now get your scrawny butt out of here"

"No, you go, I go" he said defiantly.

"BOTH of you get your asses out of here!" They turned to the armoured demon that had ridden up beside Dean.

"Get the fuck out of here!" yelled Dean.

The demon shook his head; lifting the helmet off "Not gonna happen, son. Now _move _your ass! I didn't crawl out of Hell just to be sucked back into it"

"Dad…" started Dean; the shock of seeing his father beside him draining his face of all colour. He shook his head "No"

John grabbed his son "You _listen _to me. You do _not _sacrifice yourself for some self-righteous notion that …"

"THEY KILLED JAY!" he yelled at his father.

"Then you go back and _tend _to her! You _don't _disrespect her by killing yourself. Would she want that? Would she, son?"

"No, she wouldn't" said Sam "Come on, Dean" he pulled gently at his brother.

Dean turned as he heard his name called in desperation and he watched as Lucas jumped a fissure; scrabbling at the edge, looking for purchase "HELP ME!" he yelled. His fingers digging into the dirt as he started to slip; the flames rising up behind him; his eyes wide with fear "HEEELP MEEE!" he begged as his black uniform caught fire, his hair now aflame. Dean watched expressionlessly as Lucas howled, tumbling into 'The Abyss', his scream of pure and utter terror mixing with those of the other demons as they fell. He pulled the swords from their scabbards and threw them into the pits; the explosions as the swords were destroyed rising high into the clear, azure sky.

"Let's go see, Jay. Come on" said Sam. He took the reigns of Dean's stallion and led his brother away, their father riding with them as they galloped from the battlefield.

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_The Dark Lord let loose a howl of unmitigated fury as he watched the last of his Army fall to the depths; the ground beneath him littered with the bodies of his fallen. The bodies of the Holy Army no where to be seen. _

_He watched as his so-called General was led from the battlefield; the horses trampling the remains of the demons. He roared and howled; screamed and raged at his defeat. His Army was no more; Hell was now populated by the young and the weak; the souls of the damned. He would send out his 'collectors' withing the hour; he would fill Hell with those that had taken the side of darkness during The Apocalypse. He would begin again. _

_He felt a prickling on his porous skin and turned, roaring at the sight before him._

"_Your anger is wasted on me, Lucifer" said Michael; his wings spread majestically behind him as he looked on the vile form of the one he'd once called 'brother'. "You legions have been defeated; your place is NOT here. Leave this realm before I exact my vengeance on one that has caused nothing but misery and despair on all he touches" his eyes flashed a brilliant shade of blue as he drew his holy sword._

_Lucifer sneered at the Michael "My time will come, __**Michael! **__I will __**take **__my rightful place as ruler!"_

_Michael raised his sword; the blade glowing with blessed light "I AM THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD!" he roared "YOUR PLACE IS IN THE BOWELS OF HELL!" and he swung his sword slicing through the leathered left wing of the Dark Lord. "LEAVE THIS PLACE! GOD RULES HERE! MANKIND HAS ENSURED IT!"_

_Lucifer howled in pain and rage as he raised his black sword "I WILL SEEK MY VENGEANCE ON __**ALL **__WHO BETRAYED ME!" and he drove his sword into the earth, fracturing it and laughing as the earth shook and opened wide. He disappeared into the depths; taking one last look at the Holy Army as they rejoiced in victory._

_Michael turned his face to the Heavens; not questioning the order from his Father to spare the Dark One "Your will" _

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Dean found Zeke sitting atop a sand dune; Jay cradled in his arms as he stroked her head. The tears he'd shed leaving clean trails through his blood-stained face. He looked up as Dean knelt in front of him.

"Fix it" begged Dean.

"I can't" whispered Zeke.

"You _can" _said Dean angrily "Go back…take us back…we'll stop it…"

Zeke shook his head "I've tried…I _can't _. I can't _do _it!" he yelled "They won't let me!"

Dean's face turned furious; he took Jay gently from Zeke and stood; carrying her back towards the encampment. The joyous celebrations of victory cutting into them as they were swallowed by grief.

They walked through the mass of soldiers; the celebratory cries falling silent as they watched the man carry the woman's body towards the Angels. They now understood that the two they had thought were their enemy had in fact gone willingly to Hell to bring down the Infernal Army from the inside. They had given them an advantage and they had paid the price.

Dean strode towards the three Angels; Zeke, Sam, John, Bobby and Gus following closely behind. He stopped in front of Gabriel "Bring her back" he demanded.

"Dean, I cannot" said Gabriel softly.

"Yes, you can!" he yelled "You're a goddamn Angel! BRING HER BACK!"

"Please…" said Zeke. "Take me instead"

Gabriel turned his eyes to Zeke "It doesn't work that way, Zeke. I'm sorry"

"NO YOU'RE NOT!" he yelled "THIS WAS YOUR PLAN ALL ALONG! YOU _ARSEHOLE!" _he drew his sword.

Raphael placed a hand on Zeke "No, Zeke. This isn't the way" he said softly.

"I want her back! We won the fucking war for you! We did what you wanted! Now give me something _I_ want! I WANT JAY BACK!"

"Dean, we cannot bring her back" said Uriel.

"The you get _God _on the phone and let me talk to _Him!" _yelled Dean.

An Angel appeared next to Gabriel "Dean…"

"Who the fuck are you?"

"My name is Michael" he said "It is time to say goodbye"

"No" he shook his head, holding Jay close.

"Yes" said Michael "You must let her go" he turned to John "You must say your goodbyes as well"

John nodded; took Dean and Sam's arms and led them into the main tent; Zeke following them.

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John opened the tent and beckoned to Michael. The Angel came in and picked Jay's body up and turned to Dean "All is not lost, Dean" he smiled "The workings of God are never what we expect them to be" he looked at the men in the tent "You have saved the world from darkness and there have been many that sacrificed their lives to ensure it was done" he smiled kindly at them "A sacrifice is never given lightly and it is never _taken _lightly. It is time to go"

Zeke kissed his sisters forehead "Love you, sis"

John hugged his sons one last time; telling him he was proud of them; that he loved them and telling Dean he would watch over Jay.

Dean leaned over and kissed Jay softly "You and me, Jay. Always, remember?"

Michael looked at Dean and Zeke "God _does _move in mysterious ways. Remember that" he smiled one last time and they watched as John, Michael and Jay slowly faded from view.

Sam turned to his brother "Dean…"

Dean shook his head "Let's get out of this shithole" he couldn't stay here a minute longer.

He pushed the tent flaps open and went to his horse; jumping up as Sam and Zeke followed him. They kicked at their horses; the three steeds whinnying loudly as they tore out of the valley; the hooves echoing through the desolate landscape; none of them looking back as they raced away from the battleground.

Leaving their old selves and Armageddon behind them.

_**The End.**_

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_**(A/N: **A HUGE thank you to all those who've read this story and an even BIGGER thank you to those who have reviewed. Shenandoah77, AquarianNightSky, AdSigMel and Ria Lucas,. Your reviews were **always **appreciated and kept me writing when I thought it was a lost cause. Thank you. I hope you enjoyed the story but please read on...just the epilogue...you know I always leave one!)_


	23. Epilogue

_(Disclaimer: Don't own anything; the following story and characters of Jay and Zeke are all mine)_

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**Armageddon.**

**Epilogue.**

_**A year later…**_

Sam and Bobby watched Dean through the large floor-to ceiling window. Dean and Sam's self-healing had ensured they held no injuries from Armageddon and Bobby now only walked with a slight limp. The physical scars would heal…it was the other ones that had Sam and Bobby worried.

"How long's he been like this?" asked Bobby.

"Since we left Death Valley" said Sam as he sipped at his beer "It's getting worse though, Bobby. I'm worried"

Bobby nodded "Zeke?"

"Haven't spoken to him since. I've left messages for him. Get the occasional _'I'm fine' _text back from him but…" he shrugged "He knows where we are"

Bobby sighed; not wanting to bring this up but knowing he had to "I've heard whisperings"

Sam looked over at him "Whisperings?"

Bobby shrugged "Rumours…"

"What _kind _of rumours, Bobby" asked Sam, putting his beer on the table and facing his old friend "And don't start telling me about all that crap those _holier than thou _assholes have been spouting since we won"

Bobby laughed softly as he shook his head; the world was a very different place now. He didn't know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing…but you reap what you sow. "There's been rumours of sporadic demon activity. Nothing major, small time stuff really …but you know he has a target on his back" said Bobby as he looked at Dean.

Sam nodded "He doesn't care, Bobby"

"No, didn't think he did" he said, finishing the rest of his beer in one gulp "He still believe it?"

Sam nodded and pointed to the sign.

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Dean leaned against the railing as he looked over the bluff; the sea crashing against the rocks and spitting up spray. He breathed in deep; the smell of the ocean filling him as he lifted the tequila bottle to his lips.

"I did it, Jay. Just like I promised. It needs a _lot _of work before anyone can stay here. But it wasn't really for any one else but us, was it?" he said, "You'd love it, Jay. Scary old hotel sitting on a bluff; urban legends saying the place is haunted by a vengeful butler" he laughed softly "EMF is quiet as a mouse" he put the empty tequila bottle down and picked up another "Even have a sign in the lobby above the reception desk ..._'Proprietors: Dean and Jay Winchester ..." _he laughed softly "Sammy looked at me strange when I put it up" he took a swig of tequila, relishing the way it burned down his throat.

"Got you a present too. I know I said I wouldn't but…" he smiled to himself as he looked over at the red-trike that sat at the far side of the balcony. "You need something to ride down the halls and scare the crap out of people" he swigged the tequila. "Fully stocked bar of course" he laughed "Be ready for when you come back, baby"

"Sammy thinks I'm losing my mind. Won't leave me alone, not for a minute" he sighed "Haven't heard from Zeke either. Not really surprised" he leaned back and threw the bottle into the sea as the anger took hold of him again "YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO DIE!" he yelled; ignoring the sound of the door opening behind him.

"It's getting dark, Dean" said Sam; the salty-wind rustling his hair "Bobby's here and he brought take-out"

"Hey, son" said Bobby, smiling at the ghost of the man he once knew.

Dean turned and looked at the two men "Not hungry" he said as he pushed past them and went upstairs to his room.

He flopped down on the large double-bed; his arm over his eyes as he kicked his boots off; wanting sleep to claim him; wanting the dream again …but not. He was asleep in minutes; his alcohol-induced snores lightly filling the room.

He groaned as he saw Jay; her laughing face looking back at him as he chased her through a sparse forest; finally tackling her to the ground; the two of them laughing as they held each other.

He leaned down and kissed her "I love you" he said.

"I love _you"_ she said as she kissed him.

"Don't leave" he said; knowing the dream was nearing an end.

"Why would I leave?" she asked; her arms wrapping around him.

"You _always _leave" he said; kissing her deeply "I _miss _you" he waited for the dream to fade; to have Jay taken from him again but it didn't and he frowned in his sleep as she smiled at him.

"Then _find _me, Dean" she said as she kissed him "_Find _me"

His eyes snapped open; Jay's scent lingering over him as his heart raced.

_**The End?**_


End file.
